Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Odis Smith was killed while assisting a McCloud constable transport a suspect he had arrested. The constable had arrested a hitchhiker carrying a 30-30 Winchester rifle who was AWOL from an Air Force base in Kansas. The constable contacted Deputy Smith at his home to assist him in transporting the suspect to the county jail. Neither officer had noticed a .25 automatic pistol the suspect was carrying in a shoulder holster. The constable drove to Shawnee with the deputy and prisoner in the back seat with his hands handcuffed in front of him. One mile east of Dale, on Highway 270, the suspect drew the weapon and shot Deputy Smith four times in the chest, leg, and shoulders. The constable's car left the roadway and crashed, allowing the subject to jump out. Deputy Smith got out of the wrecked police car and tried to pursue the man but collapsed in the roadway. A passing vehicle struck the deputy and dragged his body 30 feet before stopping. The subject surrendered to the constable at the scene. The man was convicted of Deputy Smith's murder and sentenced to life in prison, but paroled after serving only 14 years. In August 2017 the man was arrested in North Carolina and charged with six counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Survivors
Deputy Smith was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OK-A2BE809B- 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Smith served with the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Shawnee community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Smith.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Odis N. 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 97,772 officers honored here.
In OK, 403 of 582 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this state's fallen. That is 69.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 28.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Odis N. Smith's cause is highlighted.
How Odis N. Smith Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Odis N. Smith is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Odis N. Smith was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
6 officers from Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
