Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Earl White and Police Officer Lindora Smith were killed when their patrol car collided with another patrol car at Holmur and Elmhurst streets during a pursuit. The two officers had attempted to stop the vehicle for reckless driving at 2:40 am. In addition to Sergeant White and Officer Smith, a police Explorer who was on a ride-along was killed in the collision. The officer in the second patrol car was injured. Sergeant White had served with the Detroit Police Department for 22 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MI-FF520572- 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.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Earl. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
22 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant White gave the Detroit Police Department 22 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant White.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Earl Lavelle White 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 MI, 229 of 718 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.9% of this state's fallen. That is 0.9 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Detroit Police Department, 58 of 250 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 23.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Earl Lavelle White's cause is highlighted.
How Earl Lavelle White Compares
Offender Outcome
Not available
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Earl Lavelle White is highlighted in Aug.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
249 officers from Detroit Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
