Los Angeles Police Department, California
End of Watch: Tuesday, November 6, 1973
Age: 32
Tour of Duty: 10 years
Badge Number: 11797
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: November 6, 1973
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Acquitted
Detective Gerald Sawyer was shot and killed while working in a joint undercover investigation with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.
A cocaine trafficker shot Detective Sawyer during an attempted robbery of a $144,000 flash roll. The trafficker and an accomplice were arrested at the scene by other officers and charged with first-degree murder.
A jury acquitted both suspects on September 28, 1974.
Detective Sawyer had served with the Los Angeles Police Department for 10 years. He was survived by his wife and two children.