On the evening of April 10, 1981, Officer Wayne Presley and his partner were assisting a stalled motorist at a major Downey intersection when they were struck by a drunk driver, instantly killing Officer Presley and critically injuring his partner.  Officer Presley was 37-years-old and left behind a wife and three children.  He served his country in the United States Navy and served the City of Downey with honor. 

To recognize the 30-year anniversary of Officer Presley’s death, the police department erected a Fallen Officer Memorial Statue in front of the Downey Police Station during a ceremony held on September 22^nd, 2011.  Chief Rick Esteves, who was President of the Downey Police and Fire Foundation at the time, announced the creation of the Officer Wayne Presley Memorial Scholarship, which has since been awarded annually each year to a deserving college student.  In addition to this prestigious award, the Downey Police and Fire Foundation awards numerous other educational scholarships as well.