Roll of Honor

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Patrolman

Herbert E. Towne

Newport Police Department — Newport, ME

Accident Veteran

End of Watch November 18, 1964

Age 33

Tour of Duty 5 mo

The Vigil Panel 100 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Patrolman Herbert Towne was killed in an automobile crash during a vehicle pursuit on Route 100 and Route 2. At 10:45 p.m., he attempted to pull over two vehicles- one merged onto Route 2, and another continued onto Route 95- when he lost control of his patrol car on a curve. The vehicle overturned, ejecting him. The speeders were never apprehended. Patrolman Towne was a United States Navy Korean War veteran and had served with the Newport Police Department for five months.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents and sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-ME-B2E79B3B
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Towne served with the Newport Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Newport community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Newport Police Department

Location Newport, ME

Platform Identity npd.penobscot.me.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 18, 1964

Tour of Duty 5 mo

Age 33

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Weapon Automobile

Offender Not available

Military Service

Herbert E. Towne served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Patrolman Herbert E. Towne 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 ME, 41 of 102 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 40.2% of this state's fallen. That is 9.2 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.

Newport Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Accident

ME — Statewide

of 102 officers

40.2% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Herbert E. Towne's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Herbert E. Towne Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Accident: 38.1 years

Years of Service

0.4