Brendt Leroy Stephens
Agency patch
Police Officer

Brendt Leroy Stephens

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
End of Watch May 25, 1974
Age 30
Tour of Duty 2 yrs 6 mo
Badge 4284
The Vigil Panel 113 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Stephens was shot and killed while backing up another officer at a call involving a man with a gun. When they arrived they encountered the man, who then fled into a nearby building at 8584 Chrysler Service Drive. As the two officers ran after him he began firing, fatally wounding Officer Stephens. The suspect, 45, was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life. In October of 1980, the Michigan Supreme Court commuted his conviction to voluntary manslaughter and ordered another sentencing hearing. Officer Stephens, who was assigned to the 13th (Woodward) Precinct, had served with the Detroit Police Department for 2 and a half years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two daughters, a son, and his parents.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Stephens gave the Detroit Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Stephens.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Detroit, Wayne County, MI
Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 25, 1974
Tour of Duty 2 yrs 6 mo
Age 30
Badge Number 4284
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Brendt is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1974, 162 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 22nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Brendt was 30. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Brendt had served 2.5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Detroit Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Brendt among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Brendt Leroy Stephens

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch May 25, 1974

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 9-E

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