Samuel Neel McDermott

Little Rock Police Department — Little Rock, AR

Felonious

End of Watch September 3, 1930

Age 31

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 60 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 22

Incident

Detective Sergeant Neel McDermott succumbed to injuries received one week earlier while trying to apprehend two of six escapees from the Pulaski County Jail. He attempted to arrest the two suspects behind the National Cemetary when he was shot. The suspect who shot Detective Sergeant McDermott was sentenced to death but later had his sentence commuted to life. On August 18, 1933, he was shot and killed when he attempted to escape from Tucker Prison Farm. Detective Sergeant McDermott had served with the Little Rock Police Department for two years and previously served as a Deputy Sheriff for at least two years. He was survived by his expectant wife and one daughter. His second daughter was born a few months after his death.

Survivors

He was survived by his expectant wife and one daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AR-0F50FE84
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.
Detective Sergeant McDermott gave the Little Rock Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Little Rock community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Sergeant McDermott.

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

Agency

Department Little Rock Police Department

Location Little Rock, AR

Platform Identity lrpd.pulaski.ar.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 3, 1930

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Died in prison

Detective Sergeant Samuel Neel McDermott is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In AR, 249 of 372 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.9% of this state's fallen. That is 12.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Little Rock Police Department, 19 of 23 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 82.6% of this agency's fallen.

Little Rock Police Department

of 23 officers

82.6% Felonious

AR — Statewide

249

of 372 officers

66.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious