Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief of Police George Smiddy was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man who had fired several shots earlier in the evening while involved in a domestic dispute.
He requested assistance from the chief of police and an officer from the neighboring police department in Jellico. The three officers located the man at a barber shop on North Main Street, on the Kentucky side of the border, and attempted to arrest him. The man immediately opened fire, mortally wounding Chief Smiddy and seriously wounding the police chief from the Tennessee town. The suspect was killed by the return fire.
Chief Smiddy succumbed to his wounds early the next day.
Chief Smiddy had served with the Jellico Police Department for one year.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and ten children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-22C27395- 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
You barely got started.
Chief of Police Smiddy gave the Jellico Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Williamsburg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Smiddy.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief of Police George S. Smiddy is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In KY, 755 of 983 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 22.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. George S. Smiddy's cause is highlighted.
How George S. Smiddy Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. George S. Smiddy is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. George S. Smiddy was killed by handgun; .38 caliber.