Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Herbert Poe was killed when his motorcycle collided with the side of a Frisco switch engine at the railroad tracks on South Washington Street, between Stanley Avenue and 2nd Avenue. He had finished his shift at 4:00 am and was driving his motorcycle home while still in uniform. He struck a flatcar that was being pulled by the switch engine. Patrolman Poe left 12 feet of skid marks before laying the motorcycle on its side for 65 feet. Indications are Patrolman Poe was attempting to get the motorcycle back on its wheels when he smashed into the steps at the rear of the switch engine. The motorcycle was thrown backward after impact and came to rest 20 feet north of the tracks and six feet east of the curb. The switch engine had been backing across the intersection from west to east and cleared the intersection before it stopped. Patrolman Poe had received two departmental commendations for outstanding work during the preceding 11 months. Patrolman Poe was a U.S. Air Force veteran and had served with the Ardmore Police Department for 2-1/2 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, son, daughter, mother, father, stepfather, sister, and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OK-9CBFAAAC- 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 Poe gave the Ardmore Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Ardmore 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Herbert Gale Poe served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman Herbert Gale Poe 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 OK, 135 of 582 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 23.2% of this state's fallen. That is 7.8 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Ardmore Police Department, 2 of 7 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 28.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Herbert Gale Poe's cause is highlighted.
How Herbert Gale Poe Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Herbert Gale Poe is highlighted in Mar.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
6 officers from Ardmore Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
