Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Albert DeSmet was killed when his patrol car was struck during a high-speed pursuit. Clinton Township Police were pursuing a vehicle traveling into Roseville after the driver had rammed and hit two vehicles. Patrolman DeSmet and his partner activated their emergency lights and pulled onto the southbound lanes of Gratiot when the vehicle struck them from behind. The patrol car slid into the median, and the driver continued to drive until he crashed at the intersection on 12 Mile Road. The driver of the vehicle was found not guilty by reason of insanity and released after being committed to a state hospital for four years. Patrolman DeSmet had served with the Roseville Police Department for 24 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, son, and two daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MI-1CA41589- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
24 years. You could have gone home.
Patrolman DeSmet gave the Roseville Police Department 24 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Roseville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman DeSmet.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman Albert O. DeSmet is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In MI, 229 of 718 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.9% of this state's fallen. That is 0.9 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Roseville Police Department, 1 of 4 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Albert O. DeSmet's cause is highlighted.
How Albert O. DeSmet Compares
Offender Outcome
Acquitted
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Albert O. DeSmet is highlighted in Nov.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Roseville Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
