Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief of Police Michael Baer was shot and killed as he and a sheriff's deputy searched for a gang of horse thieves that had been active in the Fort Smith area.
The two officers were riding along the Little Rock Road (modern-day Highway 22), approximately 10 miles east of Fort Smith, when they encountered a group of three men. Before any words were exchanged the men opened fire on the officers, who returned fire.
Chief Baer was struck in the chest and fatally wounded. One of the subjects in the other group was wounded. It was later determined that the men who opened fire on them had been victims of the horse thieves earlier in the evening and mistook Chief Baer and the deputy for the thieves.
Chief Baer had recently been appointed as police chief and had previously served as constable of Fort Smith.
Survivors
He was survived by his expectant wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AR-8A526D9B- 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
157 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Chief of Police Baer served with the Fort Smith Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Fort Smith community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief of Police Michael Baer 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 Fort Smith Police Department, 8 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Michael Baer's cause is highlighted.
How Michael Baer Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Michael Baer is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Michael Baer was killed by rifle.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
11 officers from Fort Smith Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
