Roll of Honor

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Night Watchman

William Meade Smith

Westfield Police Department — Westfield, IN

Felonious

End of Watch November 2, 1928

Age 45

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 9 mo

The Vigil Panel 56 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 1

Incident

Night Watchman W. Meade Smith was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on Range Line Road while walking his beat at about 1:00 am.

Another driver located his body laying approximately 150 feet from his flashlight and hat.

Watchman Smith had served as the appointed town watchman for 21 months.

Survivors

He was survived by his mother, two brothers, and two sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IN-8EACBDAA
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

You barely got started.
Night Watchman Smith gave the Westfield Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Westfield community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Night Watchman Smith.

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

Agency

Department Westfield Police Department

Location Westfield, IN

Platform Identity wpd.hamilton.in.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 2, 1928

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 9 mo

Age 45

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile

Night Watchman William Meade Smith 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 IN, 311 of 503 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 7.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Westfield Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Westfield Police Department

of 2 officers

100% Felonious

IN — Statewide

311

of 503 officers

61.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Meade Smith's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How William Meade Smith Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

1.7

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Meade Smith is highlighted in Nov.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Meade Smith was killed by automobile.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Westfield Police Department are honored on badge.nw.