East Palo Alto Police Department, California
End of Watch: Wednesday, June 22, 1988
Age: 26
Tour of Duty: 6 months
Badge Number: 32
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: June 22, 1988
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Officer Joel Davis was shot and killed during a foot pursuit of a suspect with a gun at 1615 Bay Road.
Officer Davis had responded as backup to other officers on the initial call. During the foot pursuit, the suspect jumped over a fence and waited on the other side. As Officer Davis began to come over the fence he was shot in the shoulder by the subject. The man then shot him again in the head before fleeing.
The suspect, 30, was eventually apprehended and sentenced to life without parole in 1991. As of December 13, 2022, he was in prison.
Officer Davis served with the East Palo Alto Police Department as a full-time officer for six months and had previously served with the agency as a reserve officer for three years. He had also served as a reserve deputy with the San Mateo County Sheriff's Department. He was survived by his parents and sister.
A city park was renamed Joel Davis Park in his honor in August 2002.