Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Eli Smith succumbed to injuries sustained in a vehicle crash on U.S. 90 on January 29, 1956. He was pursuing a vehicle for a traffic violation when he was forced off the road. The speeding vehicle struck an automobile, forcing that vehicle into Sergeant Smith's patrol car. Sergeant Smith suffered severe chest injuries and had several heart attacks over the next year, culminating in his death. Sergeant Smith had served with the Louisiana State Police for 14 years and was assigned to Troop D.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-LA-68F2E62F- 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.
Sergeant Smith gave the Louisiana State Police 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Louisiana. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Smith.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Eli L. Smith 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 LA, 180 of 595 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.3% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Louisiana State Police, 21 of 27 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 77.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Eli L. Smith's cause is highlighted.
How Eli L. Smith Compares
Offender Outcome
Not available
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Eli L. Smith is highlighted in Jan.
Others Who Wore This Badge
26 officers from Louisiana State Police are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
