Ventura College Police Officer James J. Doyle, 24, was shot and killed while on patrol on Sunday, March 23, 1975. Doyle had apparently been checking campus buildings, in the wake of a rash of burglaries and break-ins. Officer Doyle was a full-time administration of justice student at Ventura College, in addition to working as the newest and youngest member of the college police department.

Carl Russell Carson, a Ventura College student and son of a math instructor on campus, was arrested and convicted for the murder of Officer Doyle. Carson had taken Doyles duty revolver and patrol car after the attack. When Carson was arrested in Twin Falls, Idaho, 3 days later, he was driving a stolen truck, and was in possession of Officer Doyle’s .357 Magnum revolver.

Before coming to Ventura College, Officer Doyle had served as a military police sergeant in the U.S. Army, and hoped to eventually become a deputy sheriff.

Officer Robert A. Phillips was patrolling on his motorcycle when the rear tire blew out causing him to lose control. Phillip’s motorcycle spun around throwing him to the ground and killing the 29-year-old patrol officer instantly. Officer Phillips had been a member of the CHP for eight years.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Darden Hollis, a fifteen-year veteran of the Department, was assigned to the West Hollywood Station at the time of his murder. Deputy Hollis, 42 years-of-age, was shot to death early New Year’s Day in West Hollywood by a man who grabbed his revolver during a struggle with deputies and began firing. Two other deputies were wounded. Deputies John Day, 27, and Gene Leschinsky, 44, recovered from their wounds. Philip Lenford Allen, 19, of Los Angeles was charged with the murder of Deputy Hollis and the attempted murder of the other deputies. Deputy Hollis served three years in the Army during the Korean War. He had been married for four years. He and his wife Mary had no children.

Pat Mitchell was a reserve officer with the Eureka Police Department. On December 1st, 1974 during the evening hours Pat and another off-duty Eureka police officer were responding to a burglar alarm call during a time when a violent riot was taking place in another part of town. They responded because no on-duty units were available.

A citizen pulled out from a stop sign and the car in which Pat was a passenger collided with it. The car caught fire and Pat perished in the flames.

Pat Mitchell’s dedication to duty will not be forgotten.

At the time of his death, Leslie James Prince was a four-year veteran with this Department. He served as a uniformed patrol officer from 1970 until his death in 1974. He died at age 26, in the line of duty, after having been struck by a vehicle driven by a 26 year old male who was subsequently arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and vehicular manslaughter.

Officer Prince and his partner were assigned to assist a traffic officer in traffic control at the intersection of Beach and Adams. There had been a power failure which caused the traffic signals at the intersection to malfunction. The intersection was dark as a result of a lack of illumination attributed to the power failure.

Shortly after his arrival, officer Prince took up a position in the intersection to direct traffic. Other officers were deployed at the intersection as well and the situation was well controlled.

After only a short period of time, Officer Prince was struck by a speeding pick-up truck which had entered the Intersection against the direction of another officer. Officer Prince was thrown onto the hood of the vehicle, carried for a distance and rolled into the street when the vehicle came to rest. Officer Prince was treated at the scene by paramedics and transported to Huntington Intercommunity Hospital. He sustained two broken legs, broken ribs, head injuries and other internal injuries.

Officer Prince was survived by his wife Linda, and infant child, along with his parents Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Prince, and a brother and sister.

The Huntington Beach City Council and Recreation and Parks Commission memorialized the death of Officer Prince with the dedication of Les Prince Park on April 6, 1979.