Roll of Honor
Incident
Captain Smith was killed in an automobile accident when the police wagon he was riding in skidded onto a curb and overturned at Twenty-Eighth Street and Washington Avenue. He and other officers were returning to the police station with a prisoner after leaving a disturbance at Arcade Apartments on Huntington Avenue. The two officers and prisoner riding with Captain Smith escaped serious injuries in the accident.
Survivors
Captain Smith had served with the Newport News Police Department for less than seven and a half years and was survived by his wife, and son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-186D313E- 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
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Captain Smith gave the Newport News Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Newport News community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Captain Smith.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Captain Robert Hitchman Smith is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In VA, 203 of 654 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31% of this state's fallen.
At Newport News Police Department, 5 of 12 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 41.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert Hitchman Smith's cause is highlighted.
How Robert Hitchman Smith Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Robert Hitchman Smith is highlighted in Jun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
11 officers from Newport News Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
