Roll of Honor

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Police Officer

Joseph Nelson Smith

Palm Beach Police Department — Palm Beach, FL

Felonious

End of Watch June 6, 1923

Age 39

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 45 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 1

Incident

Police Officer Joseph Smith succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained three days earlier when he encountered three men leaving a beach carrying turtle eggs and turtle meat. The day after his death, the body of his suspected killer was found hanging from a tree in Palm Beach. Officer Smith had served with the Palm Beach Police Department for 3 years.

Survivors

He was survived by a brother who also served with the agency at the time.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FL-C76B4404
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.
Police Officer Smith gave the Palm Beach Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Palm Beach community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Smith.

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

Agency

Department Palm Beach Police Department

Location Palm Beach, FL

Platform Identity pbpd.palmbeach.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 6, 1923

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 39

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Lynched

Police Officer Joseph Nelson 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 FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Palm Beach Police Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Palm Beach Police Department

of 2 officers

50% Felonious

FL — Statewide

539

of 1,008 officers

53.5% 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. Joseph Nelson 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 Joseph Nelson Smith Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Lynched

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph Nelson Smith is highlighted in Jun.

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. Joseph Nelson Smith was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Palm Beach Police Department are honored on badge.nw.