Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Rodney Smith drowned when his patrol car was washed into a flooded field off of Bernal Avenue.
The area had become flooded as a result of the overflowing Bayou de Chien. He was checking the area when he went missing at approximately 9:15 pm. Multiple agencies responded to the area and began a massive search. His body and patrol car were located separately in a flooded field off of Bernal Avenue the following morning.
Officer Smith is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, and mother.
Survivors
Officer Smith is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, and mother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-915ACCCC- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 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 Hickman Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Hickman community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Smith.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Rodney Scott Smith is one of 10,094 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,586 officers honored here.
In KY, 161 of 983 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 16.4% of this state's fallen. That is 14.6 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Hickman Police Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Rodney Scott Smith's cause is highlighted.
How Rodney Scott Smith Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Rodney Scott Smith is highlighted in Mar.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Hickman Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
