14 fallen officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty in both 2019 and 2020 and will be included in the Washington State Peace Officers Memorial on our state capital’s campus in Olympia.
Behind the Badge Foundation, The Line of Duty Death (LODD) Committee has reviewed and approved the criterion of 14 fallen officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty in both 2019 and 2020 and will include them in the Washington State Peace Officers Memorial on our state capital’s campus in Olympia.
Due to the pandemic season that we’re still all in, there will be private family viewings closer to the traditional Police Week, in early May. Then we will look forward to properly recognizing them together, with the state’s Attorney General’s Office during the annual Peace Officers Memorial and Medal of Honor Ceremony scheduled for June 4, with safety protocols in place at Saint Martin’s University. We will be honoring one fallen peace officer from 2018 who was recently approved as a Line of Duty Death, five from 2019, and eight from 2020, as well as the Medal of Honor Recipients.
The following fallen Peace Officers will have their names engraved on our state’s memorial:
2018:
- WSP Trooper S. Renee Padgett, end of watch Sept. 4.In 2012, Trooper Padgett collapsed during a training exercise. After exhaustive testing, it was discovered that she had developed a rare form of blood cancer following her exposure to toxic chemicals during an investigation from 2003. After a courageously long battle, Trooper Padgett died on Sept. 4, 2018. She had served 27 years with the Washington State Patrol. Trooper Padgett is survived by her wife, son, daughter, mother, and two sisters.
2019:
- Kittitas County Dep. Ryan Shane Thompson, end of watch March 19. Dep. Thompson was shot and killed in the city of Kittitas following a vehicle pursuit. He had responded to a traffic complaint involving a road rage incident and attempted to stop the involved vehicle. The driver opened fire on the officers, fatally wounding Deputy Thompson and seriously wounding another Kittitas officer. Deputy Thompson served in law enforcement for 12 years including time, with the Kittitas Sheriff’s Office Correctional Facility and Central Washington University Police before becoming a Kittitas Sheriff’s Deputy. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and one son, his parents and two brothers.
- Cowlitz County Dep. Justin R. DeRosier, end of watch April 14. Dep. DeRosier was shot and killed after responding to investigate reports of a disabled motorhome. After arriving at the scene, he contacted dispatchers with emergency traffic and stated he was being fired at. Members of the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office and the Kalama Police Department responded to the scene and were able to pull him to safety. He was flown to PeaceHealth Medical Center in Vancouver where he passed away shortly after midnight. Deputy DeRosier had served with the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office for three years and had previously served with the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office for three years. He is survived by his wife and daughter, his parents, and his sister.
- Spokane PD Lt. Jon “JD” Anderson, end of watch July 5. Lt. Anderson died from complications following five surgeries to repair an injury sustained in an assault while on duty in 1997. In 2014, he was taken by helicopter to the emergency room due to blood loss as a result of an ulcer caused by prescribed medications. On July 3, 2019, his wife found him unconscious in their residence and he was transported to a local hospital. On 7/5/2019, Lt. Anderson passed away. A subsequent autopsy showed he bled out from an ulcer in the same location as the ulcer located in 2014, ultimately as a result of the incident from 1997. Jon is survived by his wife and daughter, his parents and sisters.
- Lynden PD Chief Michael F. Knapp, end of watch Nov. 6. Interim Police Chief Knapp succumbed to injuries sustained the previous evening when he was struck by a pickup truck. He was crossing the street to attend a special city council meeting at the city hall introducing the three finalists for the permanent police chief position. He is survived by his wife, daughter, and two grandchildren.
- Pierce County Dep. Cooper A. Dyson, end of watch Dec. 21. Dep. Dyson was killed in a single-vehicle crash while responding to backup other deputies at a domestic violence incident in Parkland. The deputies who responded to the initial incident at were immediately attacked by a male subject who engaged them in a violent struggle. Dyson served with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department for two years. He is survived by his wife and 2 children, his parents, and two sisters.
2020:
- WSP Trooper Justin R. Schaffer, end of watch March 24. Trooper Schaffer was struck and killed by a fleeing vehicle while attempting to deploy stop sticks during a vehicle pursuit along I-5 in Chehalis. The man continued to flee until stopping and barricading himself inside his vehicle several miles later. He was taken into custody by Thurston County SO deputies. Trooper Schaffer had served with the Washington State Patrol for six years. He is survived by his wife, parents, and brother.
- Bainbridge Island PD Officer Kurt J Enget, end of watch April 10. Officer Enget died as the result of complications from contracting COVID-19 while on duty. Officer Enget had served with the Bainbridge Island Police Department for three years and had previously served with the Suquamish Tribal Police for 12 years. He is survived by his wife, three children, two grandchildren, and mother. In early 2020, thousands of law enforcement officers and other first responders throughout the country contracted COVID-19 during the worldwide pandemic due to requirements of their job. Many of these first responders died as a result of COVID-19.
- Washington State Corrections Officer Berisford A. Morse, end of watch May 17. Correctional Officer Berisford Morse died after contracting COVID-19 through a confirmed exposure to an inmate during an outbreak at the Monroe Correctional Complex’s Minimum Security Unit. Officer Morse had served with the Washington State Department of Corrections for 17 years. Officer Morse is survived by his wife, daughter, and seven siblings.
- Bothell PD Officer Jonathon Shoop, end of watch July 13. Officer Shoop was shot and killed following a vehicle pursuit. Officer Shoop and his Field Training Officer attempted to stop a vehicle for failing to display a license plate. The vehicle fled the stop, struck a man on a scooter, and then crashed. The occupant of the vehicle emerged, made anti-police statements, and immediately opened fire on officers, who were still in the patrol car. Both Officer Shoop and his Field Training Officer returned fire, during which Officer Shoop was inadvertently struck in the head and killed. Officer Shoop served with the Bothell Police Department for one year. He is survived by his mother and two brothers.
- Yakima County Corrections Officer Dan Oaks, end of watch Aug. 1. Corrections Officer Oaks died after contracting COVID-19 during an outbreak among staff and inmates at the Yakima County Jail. Officer Oaks had served with the Yakima County Department of Corrections for 15 years. He is survived by his wife and two children, his father, and six siblings.
- Tulalip Tribal PD Officer Charlie Joe Cortez, end of watch Nov. 17. Officer Cortez died after the 24-foot fisheries enforcement vessel he was in capsized after being struck by a rogue wave in the Puget Sound. Officer Cortez was not located and, due to cold water temperatures and adverse weather conditions, it was determined he could not have survived. Officer Cortez had served with the Tulalip Tribal Police Department for three years. His is survived by his two children, parents, and brother.
- Grant County Dep. Jon Melvin, end of watch Dec. 11. Dep. Melvin died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 during a presumed exposure while on duty. Dep. Melvin had served with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office for 35 years. He is survived by his son, father, and sister.
- Washington State Corrections Officer David A. Christensen, end of watch Dec. 29. Correctional Officer Christensen died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 during an outbreak among employees and inmates at the Stafford Creek Corrections Center in Aberdeen. Officer Christensen had served in law enforcement for 40 years. He is survived by his son and three sisters.
Washington State has lost 329 LEO’s in the line of duty, dating back to March 6, 1854.
For more information
To schedule interviews or for more specific information about any of the honored officers or particular incidents, contact Shannon Sessions directly 425-478-6524 or email: safetysessions@comcast.net.
The Memorial was created to provide one way to honor officers in Washington State who have been killed in the line of duty. The Memorial provides a lasting tribute to those brave law enforcement officers and serve as lasting recognition of our deep appreciation of their sacrifice.
To maintain the dignity and sanctity of the Memorial, procedure has been established to ensure that proper deliberation is given in selecting the individuals who will be listed on the Memorial.
Criterion for line of duty death for the State Law Enforcement Officers Memorial may be viewed at www.behindthebadgefoundation.org Nominations are considered by letters of nomination and through historical research.
Behind the Badge Foundation provides comprehensive support to Washington state’s law enforcement agencies, families and communities after a line of duty death, or when an officer suffers a serious injury.
The mission of Behind the Badge Foundation is to honor law enforcement officers who have died or suffered serious injury in the line of duty. We serve as a trusted resource, providing immediate and ongoing support to families, agencies and communities in times of critical need. We also maintain the Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial, commemorating the lives and dedication of officers who have died in service to our state.
Author: Mario Lotmore
