A longtime Los Angeles Police Department officer died Thursday after suffering a medical emergency during a dive team training exercise in Huntington Beach, authorities said.
Officer Thomas Daniel Denton, a member of the LAPD’s elite Metropolitan Division, became ill around 11 a.m. during the exercise. The exact location and circumstances of what happened have not been released by officials.
Huntington Beach firefighters responded and rushed Denton to Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, where he was pronounced dead. The cause of his death has not yet been determined.
Denton had served with the LAPD since 2006 and, according to public records, held the rank of Police Officer III as of April 2025. The Metropolitan Division is a specialized tactical support and crime-suppression unit within the department.
That evening, a procession carried Denton’s body from the hospital to the Orange County Coroner’s Office in Santa Ana, where officials will determine his official cause of death. Dozens of officers, firefighters, family members and friends lined the streets along the route to pay their respects. Firefighters were seen folding a flag in his honor as the procession passed.
Tributes from the law enforcement community
News of Denton’s death prompted condolences from police organizations across the region.
“With heavy hearts, we extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and our entire law enforcement community as we mourn the loss of Police Officer Thomas Denton, Serial No. 38039,” the Los Angeles Police Museum wrote on Facebook. “May his service and dedication always be remembered.”
“AOCDS extends our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and LAPD partners of Officer Thomas Denton, who tragically lost his life during an on-duty training exercise,” the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs wrote. “We stand with our brothers and sisters at LAPD during this difficult time. Rest in peace, Officer Denton. Your service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
The LAPD and the Orange County Coroner’s Office have not yet released further details about the exercise or the circumstances of Denton’s death.
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