Calvin C. Smith

Paducah Police Department — Paducah, KY

Felonious

End of Watch October 3, 1893

The Vigil Panel 12 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Patrolman Cal Smith was shot and killed by a man from ambush near Court Street.

The suspect had been arrested earlier for being drunk and disruptive. After being released on bail he secured a rifle and went looking for the arresting officer. Mistaking Patrolman Smith for the arresting officer, he shot him dead.

The suspect, son of a local prominent judge, was tried and acquitted. On October 24, 1899, he shot and killed his mistress at a saloon in Paducah, and then shot and killed himself.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-KY-F02AF901
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

133 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Smith served with the Paducah Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Paducah community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Paducah Police Department

Location Paducah, KY

Platform Identity ppd.mccracken.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 3, 1893

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle; Winchester

Offender Acquitted

Patrolman Calvin C. 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 KY, 755 of 983 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 22.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Paducah Police Department, 2 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 40% of this agency's fallen.

Paducah Police Department

of 5 officers

40% Felonious

KY — Statewide

755

of 983 officers

76.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious