Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrol Officer Howard K. Smith, III died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.
Officer Smith had served with the Owasso Police Department for 21 years and was an Assistant SWAT Commander. He had served in law enforcement for 26 years.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Patrol Officer Howard Kritzer Smith, III died on September 27, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 52.
He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 2 at Owasso Police Department.
Beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers across the country contracted COVID-19 in the course of their duties. While much of the nation sheltered at home, they kept answering calls, making arrests, transporting prisoners, and working face to face with the public. There was no distance to be had from the job.
Corrections officers were hit hardest. Confined facilities and large populations meant constant, close, unavoidable exposure.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OK-602E6397- 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
The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Patrol Officer Smith gave the Owasso Police Department 26 years.
Thank you for your service to the Owasso community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrol Officer Smith.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrol Officer Howard Kritzer Smith, III is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In OK, 21 of 582 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 3.6% of this state's fallen. That is 5.5 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At Owasso Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Howard Kritzer Smith, III's cause is highlighted.
How Howard Kritzer Smith, III Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Howard Kritzer Smith, III is highlighted in Sep.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Owasso Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
