Moore Police Department, Oklahoma
End of Watch: Friday, May 18, 1979
Age: 20
Tour of Duty: 2 years
Badge Number: 117
Cause of Death: Motorcycle crash
Date of Incident: May 18, 1979
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Officer Danny Vanderpool was killed while working undercover in a motorcycle accident.
Officer Vanderpool had been loaned to the Edmond Police Department to pose as a high school student, working as an undercover narcotics officer. On the morning of Friday, May 18, 1979, Vanderpool was involved in a traffic accident two miles west of Highway 77, west of Guthrie. He lost control of his motorcycle at a speed near 70 miles per hour and was thrown 125 feet. He was pronounced dead on arrival at a Guthrie hospital.
The previous December, thirty-nine people had been arrested for sixty-three separate violations based upon his evidence.
Officer Vanderpool had served with the Moore Police Department for two years. He was survived by his wife and mother.