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Detective

Howard F. Smith

Cincinnati Police Department — Cincinnati, OH

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch September 13, 1972

Age 55

Tour of Duty 32 yrs

Badge D12

The Vigil Panel 110 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 105

Incident

Detective Howard Smith succumbed to gunshot wounds received nine months earlier during a bank robbery while working a protection detail at the Mohawk Branch at 2026 Central Parkway in Cincinnati at 10:08 am. Detective Smith was undercover as a teller when two armed men entered the bank and announced a hold-up. Detective Smith fired at one of the subjects but missed. One of the men shot him in the back and then twice in the head. The subjects fled without taking any money. Detective Smith was transported to Cincinnati General Hospital where he remained in critical condition until succumbing to his wounds almost nine months later. The suspects were apprehended and convicted for his murder. Both suspects were sentenced to death, but the sentences were commuted to life in prison, and they were both paroled in 2002. Detective Smith was a United States Army World War II veteran and had served with the Cincinnati Police Department for almost 32 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OH-1E871508
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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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.
Detective Smith gave the Cincinnati Police Department 32 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cincinnati 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 Cincinnati Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Cincinnati, Hamilton County, OH

Platform Identity cincpd.hamilton.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 13, 1972

Tour of Duty 32 yrs

Age 55

Badge Number D12

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Howard F. Smith served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Detective Howard F. Smith is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 57.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Cincinnati Police Department, 63 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.4% of this agency's fallen.

Cincinnati Police Department

of 106 officers

59.4% Felonious

OH — Statewide

572

of 991 officers

57.7% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious