Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Herman Smith was shot and killed after making a traffic stop on US 441, between Douglas and Broxton, at 10:30 pm. He had placed the driver of the vehicle and his wife in the back of his patrol car and called for a tow truck. When the tow truck arrived the driver found Deputy Smith slumped over the wheel of his patrol car with four gunshot wounds in his back. The subject had shot him through the cage in the patrol car with a .25 caliber handgun and then broke through the back window with his wife to escape. The man and his wife were tracked by bloodhounds to their home nearby and apprehended. An investigation revealed Deputy Smith was writing a traffic citation to the man for a minor violation when he was shot. The suspect's wife had a gun in her pocketbook that she gave to her husband. The man admitted that he shot Deputy Smith, but both refused to say why Deputy Smith placed them in the back of his car. The man, 59, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. He was paroled on February 11, 1971. Deputy Smith is survived by his wife and four children. He was a police officer with the Broxton Police Department for 16 years and was chief when he left and went with the Coffee County Sheriff's Office in 1963.
Survivors
Deputy Smith is survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-58B2B024- 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.
Deputy Sheriff Smith served with the Coffee County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Douglas community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Smith.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Herman Edward 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 GA, 548 of 903 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Coffee County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Herman Edward Smith's cause is highlighted.
How Herman Edward Smith Compares
Offender Outcome
Paroled in 1971
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Herman Edward Smith is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Herman Edward Smith was killed by handgun; .25 caliber.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Coffee County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
