Officer Arthur Paul Parga

Arthur Paul Parga

Officer Arthur Parga, Jr. was shot and killed while assisting a countywide narcotics task force in serving a search warrant. He was on a SWAT team when they entered a house, and the owner confronted them shortly after 2 a.m.

Officer Parga was the first to enter the house. He was shot in the head and leg during the raid, which was part of an ongoing investigation into marijuana trafficking. The suspect was then shot by another officer.

Officer Parga served with the Stockton police force for more than three years and previously was a Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Deputy from 1984 to 1989. While working at the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Department, he led the investigation into a notorious local “freeway rapist” and was responsible for his arrest.

Officer Parga is survived by his wife, who was pregnant at the time, and a 5-year-old son.