Roll of Honor

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Sergeant

Verdell Smith, Sr.

Memphis Police Department — Memphis, TN

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch June 4, 2016

Age 46

Tour of Duty 18 yrs

Badge 3591

The Vigil Panel 165 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 93

Incident

Sergeant Officer Verdell Smith was struck and killed by the driver of a vehicle who had been involved in a triple shooting approximately 30 minutes earlier.

The man, who had been seen talking to himself loudly, suddenly pulled out a handgun and shot two customers outside of a restaurant on North Main Street shortly before 10:00 pm. Several citizens then chased the man on foot a short distance to a sporting goods store parking lot, where the man shot an employee and fled in a car, as officers arrived on the scene.

Responding officers pursued the vehicle, which started driving the wrong way down B. B. King Boulevard, which had been closed to vehicle traffic for a street festival. As the pursuit entered the area, Sergeant Smith and other officers attempted to clear the street and sidewalks of pedestrians, but the vehicle crashed through a barrier and struck him.

The man was taken into custody after striking Officer Smith. He was convicted of first-degree murder and vehicular homicide and sentenced to life without parole.

Officer Smith was a U.S Navy veteran and had served with the Memphis Police Department for 18 years.

He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant. In 2019, he received the Medal of Valor for sacrificing himself for civilians.

Survivors

He is survived by his children, fiancée, and father.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-64D30F50
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Verdell. Claim this record.

Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Verdell is one person.

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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.
Sergeant Smith gave the Memphis Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Memphis 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 Memphis Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Memphis, Shelby County, TN

Platform Identity mpd.shelby.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 4, 2016

Tour of Duty 18 yrs

Age 46

Badge Number 3591

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile

Military Service

Verdell Smith, Sr. served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Sergeant Verdell Smith, Sr. is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,756 officers honored here.

In TN, 498 of 769 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.8% of this state's fallen. That is 64.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Memphis Police Department, 53 of 94 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 56.4% of this agency's fallen.

Memphis Police Department

of 94 officers

56.4% Felonious

TN — Statewide

498

of 769 officers

64.8% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,756 officers

0% Felonious