Police Seeking Relatives of Fallen Officers

The Paducah Police Department is seeking the public’s help in locating any surviving relatives of four of its officers who have died in the line of duty:

+ Officer Cal Smith was ambushed and shot to death on Oct. 3, 1893. His killer had been arrested earlier for being drunk and disruptive, and after being released on bond, he obtained a rifle and went looking for the arresting officer. He mistook Officer Smith for the officer who had arrested him, and shot him.

+ Officer James Phelps suffered a fatal heart attack while assisting at the scene of a fire on Nov. 9, 1894. He rushed into a burning building to help search for anyone trapped inside, and collapsed and died when he exited the building.

+ Officer William Romaine was shot and killed on August 12, 1917, after confronting a group of men who were creating a disturbance. The suspect fled the scene, but was caught and executed in June 1919.

+ Officer William H. Poore died on Nov. 29, 1928, after he was injured the previous day while searching for two suspects who had stolen a suitcase. Poore fell through a train trestle and sustained a head injury.

The police department intends to honor these officers and their families during Peace Officers Memorial Week in May. If you have any information about surviving family members, please contact Det. Matt Scheer at 270/444-8553 or mscheer@paducahky.gov.