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Owen T. Farley
Agency patch
Sergeant

Owen T. Farley

Salt Lake City Police Department — Salt Lake City, UT
Felonious
United States flag Utah flag
End of Watch May 23, 1951
Tour of Duty 10 yrs
The Vigil Panel 87 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 22

Incident

Sergeant Farley was shot and killed while transporting two suspects to police headquarters for questioning. Sergeant Farley had been conducting surveillance of a suspicious vehicle on South State Street after receiving information that it belonged to a robbery suspect. He stopped a man and woman who approached the car and began to question them. He handcuffed the male suspect in front and was going to take them to the police station in his patrol car but the car broke down. He instead drove the suspect's vehicle. During the ride to the station the man produced a .38 caliber handgun from his front coat pocket and shot Sergeant Farley in the side. The suspect fled the scene and was apprehended a short time later hiding in a locker. The man was convicted of the murder and executed by firing squad at the Utah State Prison on July 1, 1955. Sergeant Farley had been with the agency for ten years.

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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.
Sergeant Farley gave the Salt Lake City Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Salt Lake City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Farley.

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

Agency

Department Salt Lake City Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, UT
Platform Identity slpd.saltlake.ut.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 23, 1951
Tour of Duty 10 yrs
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Owen 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.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1951, 65 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 113th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Owen had served 10 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%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

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

Salt Lake City Police Department has 23 officers remembered here, Owen among them.

Across the years

Sergeant Owen T. Farley

Salt Lake City Police Department · End of Watch May 23, 1951

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 31-W

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