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Deputy Sheriff

Richard O. Slates

Kern County Sheriff's Office — Bakersfield, CA
Accident
United States flag California flag
End of Watch December 21, 1966
Age 34
The Vigil Panel 224 · Column 3 · Line 11 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 27

Incident

Deputy Richard Slates died in a fall during a search and rescue mission at the Death Valley National Monument. Deputy Slates was assisting in the recovery of the body of a 19-year-old male on the side of Telescope Peak. The hiker plunged 1,000 feet to his death while descending the peak. The deputy came up missing and his body was found in in nearly the same position on the side of the peak.

Survivors

Deputy Slates was survived by his wife, two sons, and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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August 2, 2026
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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.
Deputy Sheriff Slates served with the Kern County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Bakersfield community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Slates.

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

Agency

Department Kern County Sheriff's Office
Type Sheriff's Office
Location Bakersfield, Kern County, CA
Platform Identity kcso.kern.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 21, 1966
Age 34
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Richard is one of 8,276 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1966, 77 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 31st heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Richard was 34. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36.

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

When

December holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 14.5%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Kern County Sheriff's Office has 28 officers remembered here, Richard among them.

Across the years

Deputy Sheriff Richard O. Slates

Kern County Sheriff's Office · End of Watch December 21, 1966

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 18-W

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