Lafayette A. Smith

Omaha Police Department — Omaha, NE

Felonious

End of Watch January 14, 1909

Age 31

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

The Vigil Panel 23 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 24

Incident

Officer Lafayette Smith was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a robbery suspect near S 9th Street and Douglas Street. He had observed a man and woman struggling in the street at 12:45 am and attempted to arrest the man. During the ensuing struggle, Officer Smith was shot by the suspect. The suspect was later shot and critically wounded by a detective before being taken into custody. He died in the hospital nine days later. The suspect was one of three men arrested for the murder of Police Officer Charles Mayer of the St. Paul, Minnesota Police Department on February 1, 1902. All three men were released because of a lack of evidence and a key witness refusing to testify. Officer Smith had served with the Omaha Police Department for six years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NE-60A00265
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.
Officer Smith gave the Omaha Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Omaha community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Smith.

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

Agency

Department Omaha Police Department

Location Omaha, NE

Platform Identity opd.douglas.ne.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 14, 1909

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed

Officer Lafayette A. 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 NE, 97 of 151 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.2% of this state's fallen. That is 10 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Omaha Police Department, 21 of 25 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 84% of this agency's fallen.

Omaha Police Department

of 25 officers

84% Felonious

NE — Statewide

of 151 officers

64.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious