A Los Angeles Police Department officer who was suffered fatal injuries during an on-duty training exercise was identified Friday.
Officer Thomas Denton, who served in the Metropolitan Division, was killed around 11 a.m. Thursday while participating in an on-duty training exercise.
No details were released about the nature of the training or where the exercise was held, although several reports indicated it was in Huntington Beach. Denton was a member of the LAPD’s Dive Team, according to the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union for LAPD officers.
Denton was taken to Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, where he was pronounced dead. Video from the hospital showed a large number of law enforcement officers outside the facility.
A law-enforcement procession escorting Denton’s body departed the hospital late Thursday afternoon en route to the coroner’s office in Santa Ana.
Denton, a 20-year department veteran, is survived by his wife and two children, according to the governor’s office.
“Today, we honor Officer Denton’s lasting legacy to the people of Los Angeles,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. “Jennifer and I deeply mourn his loss and our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues. May he be remembered for his dedication and honorable service.”
Newsom ordered flags at the state Capitol lowered to half-staff in Denton’s memory.
According to the LAPPL, Denton served at the Metropolitan Division, “but his heart belong to the Dive Unit.”
“It was more than an assignment. It was his passion, and where he built lifelong friendships with those who shared his love for the work,” the union wrote on social media Friday. “.. His loss leaves a void that will never be filled, but his friendship, dedication and years of service will never be forgotten.”