Roll of Honor

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Patrol Officer

James Watkins Smith Sr.

Johnson City Police Department — Johnson City, TN

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch December 3, 2007

Age 59

Badge 185

The Vigil Panel 156 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 3

Incident

Patrol Officer James Smith succumbed to injuries sustained six years earlier when he was involved in a motorcycle crash on May 4th, 2001.

He was responding to an emergency call when another driver made an illegal U-turn in front of him on North Roan Street near Hemlock Lane.

He suffered severe head and internal injuries and required constant medical care until passing away.

Officer Smith was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, two daughters, grandchildren, and five siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-26B7375E
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew James. Claim this record.

Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. James 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.
Patrol Officer Smith served with the Johnson City Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Johnson City community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Johnson City Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Johnson City, Washington County, TN

Platform Identity jpd.washington.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 3, 2007

Age 59

Badge Number 185

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

James Watkins Smith Sr. served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrol Officer James Watkins Smith Sr. 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 TN, 191 of 769 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 24.8% of this state's fallen. That is 24.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Johnson City Police Department, 1 of 4 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.

Johnson City Police Department

of 4 officers

25% Accident

TN — Statewide

191

of 769 officers

24.8% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Accident