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Richard Daniel Scalf
Agency patch
Police Officer

Richard Daniel Scalf

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
United States flag Michigan flag
End of Watch February 5, 1999
Age 26
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
The Vigil Panel 324 · Column 3 · Line 18 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 249

Incident

Police Officer Scalf was shot twice while attempting to arrest a suspect in an undercover prostitution sting. The suspect had propositioned a female officer posing as a prostitute. When Officers Scalf and Graves stopped the truck, the suspect fled on foot. Both officers were in pursuit when the suspect turned and fired at the officers. Officer Scalf was shot once in the hand. Then the second shot struck him in the shoulder which entered through the gap in the top of his protective vest. Officer Scalf was transported to the hospital where he died. Officer Graves, who also was shot multiple times, survived his injuries. The suspect was killed in an exchange of gunfire with law enforcement officers.

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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Scalf gave the Detroit Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Scalf.

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

Agency

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

Service Record

End of Watch February 5, 1999
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Age 26
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1999, 58 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 133rd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Richard was 26. 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. Richard had served 3 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

February holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

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.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Richard Daniel Scalf

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch February 5, 1999

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 20-E

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