Roll of Honor
Incident
Captain William Poore succumbed to a head injury he sustained the previous day when he fell through a train trestle over Clarks River while investigating the larceny of a suitcase.
Officers had learned that the suitcase may have been hidden along the Illinois Central Railroad tracks in the area of the river. Captain Poore, along with the assistant police chief, a detective, and the victim, was walking along the trestle in the dark when Captain Poore slipped and fell. His head struck a steel girder on the bridge, causing a skull fracture.
He was taken to Riverside Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries several hours later.
Captain Poore had served with the Paducah Police Department for 10 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-9FD7FDF8- 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.
Captain Poore gave the Paducah Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Paducah community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Captain Poore.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Captain William H. Poore is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 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 Paducah Police Department, 1 of 5 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 20% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William H. Poore's cause is highlighted.
How William H. Poore Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. William H. Poore is highlighted in Nov.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
4 officers from Paducah Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
