Roll of Honor
Hubert J. Smykowski Sr.
Incident
Patrolman Bert Smykowski suffered a fatal heart attack following a foot pursuit and a struggle with a suspect. Patrolman Smykowski and his partner had responded to the scene of a hit-and-run where a car had struck the front of a house. Officer Smykowski located two men matching the suspects' descriptions and attempted to stop them. He chased one of the men into a nearby house and struggled with him. As he was walking the suspect to his car, he collapsed. Patrolman Smykowski had served with the Garfield Heights Police Department for 14 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OH-6C5B5766- 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. Army. One record, 2 gates. Hubert is one person.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Smykowski gave the Garfield Heights Police Department 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the Garfield Heights community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Smykowski.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Hubert J. Smykowski Sr. served in the U.S. Army (1952â1953) before joining law enforcement.
Patrolman Hubert J. Smykowski Sr. is one of 1 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In OH, 43 of 991 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 4.3% of this state's fallen. That is 4.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Garfield Heights Police Department, 1 of 4 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Hubert J. Smykowski Sr.'s cause is highlighted.
How Hubert J. Smykowski Sr. Compares
When Cardiac Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. Hubert J. Smykowski Sr. is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Military Service
Hubert J. Smykowski Sr. served in the U.S. Army (1952–1953) before joining law enforcement.
Visit Hubert J. Smykowski Sr.’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Garfield Heights Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
