On August 7, 2018 a ceremony was held at Ivy Lawn in honor of Sergeant Dowell’s life.
The Ventura Police Officers’ Association (VPOA) is accepting applications for the 17th annual Dee Dowell Memorial Scholarship. The scholarships will be presented in July 2020 to honor Sergeant Darlon “Dee” Dowell, who was shot and killed on August 7, 1978. Sergeant Dowell is the only officer in Ventura’s history to die in the line of duty.
At the time of his death, Sergeant Dowell, 32, was a nine-year veteran of the Ventura Police Department.
The City of San Buenaventura named Dowell Drive, the location of police headquarters, in Sergeant Dowell’s honor in 1979.
In selecting scholarship recipients, the VPOA will consider academic achievement, school and community service, and financial needs. Applications must contain all required information and be returned no later than June 26, 2020. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Scholarship Awards:
- 1st Place $2,000.00
- 2nd Place $1,500.00
- 3rd Place $1,000.00
Applicants must:
- Be entering his/her freshman through senior year in college;
- Plan a course of study related to the field of public service;
- Ventura resident or have graduated from a high school in Ventura within the past three years, or a Ventura Police Department employee or employee’s child.
- Have a grade point average of 3.0 or better (based on a 4.0 system);
- Maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or better if selected as a recipient;
- Submit a resume of school and community activities, including a copy of transcripts through the most recent semester;
- Submit a typed essay of 1000 words or less on “Service, what it means to me”;
- Submit a letter of recommendation from a public servant.
For additional information please contact Corporal Bill Griffin at 805-339-4400 x1381, or Officer Jesus Nuñez at 805-339-4465. Applications are included with this release and are also available at the front desk of the Ventura Police Department.
