Roll of Honor

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Patrolman

Clarence Eugene Small

Newport News Police Department — Newport News, VA

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch June 24, 1961

Age 45

Tour of Duty 15 yrs 1 mo

Badge 23

The Vigil Panel 96 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 11

Incident

Patrolman Clarence Small and Patrolman Courtney Cook were killed in an automobile crash in the 4600 block of Jefferson Avenue while en route to raid an illegal gambling house. Their patrol car was struck by another patrol car that was responding to an unrelated call at 2:40 a.m. Patrolman Small was the first black officer hired by the Newport News Police Department. Patrolman Small was a U.S. Navy Veteran of WWII and served with the Newport News Police Department for 15 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-VA-192EFA60
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Clarence is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Small gave the Newport News Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Newport News community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Newport News Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Newport News, VA

Platform Identity nnpd.newportnews.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 24, 1961

Tour of Duty 15 yrs 1 mo

Age 45

Badge Number 23

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Clarence Eugene Small served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Clarence Eugene Small is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In VA, 204 of 655 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.1% of this state's fallen. That is 31.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Newport News Police Department, 5 of 12 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 41.7% of this agency's fallen.

Newport News Police Department

of 12 officers

41.7% Accident

VA — Statewide

204

of 655 officers

31.1% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Accident