Roll of Honor

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Officer

William P. Sniffen

California Highway Patrol — Sacramento, CA

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch April 5, 1973

Age 31

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Badge 4464

The Vigil Panel 111 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 232

Incident

Officer William Sniffen was killed in a motorcycle crash while pursuing a speeding motorist on the Nimitz Freeway at 8:30 p.m. The vehicle he was pursuing rear-ended a stalled car and burst into flames. Officer Sniffen was unable to stop and slid underneath the burning vehicle. The subject he was pursuing was arrested for felony drunk driving and felony manslaughter. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 45 days in jail and three years of probation. Officer Sniffen was a United States Air Force veteran and had served with the California Highway Patrol for seven years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-965FAB2C
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. Air Force. One record, 2 gates. William 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.
Officer Sniffen gave the California Highway Patrol 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department California Highway Patrol

Type Highway Patrol

Location Sacramento, CA

Platform Identity chp.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 5, 1973

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 31

Badge Number 4464

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Weapon Automobile

Military Service

William P. Sniffen served in the U.S. Air Force before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer William P. Sniffen 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 CA, 719 of 1,837 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.1% of this state's fallen. That is 39.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At California Highway Patrol, 151 of 233 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 64.8% of this agency's fallen.

California Highway Patrol

151

of 233 officers

64.8% Accident

CA — Statewide

719

of 1,837 officers

39.1% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Accident