On the evening of September 17, 1984, Daniel J. Smith, a 27-year-old male patrolman with the Essex County Police Department, was on duty in East Orange, New Jersey. A third-generation police officer, Smith had a lineage of law enforcement service with his grandfather, father, and three uncles all having served. He had joined the Essex County Police Force in January 1983, graduating from the Essex County Police Academy in Cedar Grove, and was known for his dedication and enthusiasm for the
job.
While patrolling alone on Interstate 280, Smith conducted a traffic stop near the Oakwood Avenue overpass. As he approached the driver's side of the vehicle he had pulled over, the motorist brandished a shotgun and fatally shot him in the head. The vehicle was later determined to have been stolen. The incident was a stark reminder of the dangers inherent in what can seem like routine police work. Smith was a native of Bloomfield and was survived by his wife, Patricia, and his sister, Margaret Smith Harvey.
Shortly after the shooting, an East Orange police patrol arrived at the scene. This led to a brief pursuit of the suspect's vehicle, which ended when the car crashed into the highway median. A man and a woman who were in the vehicle were promptly arrested at the scene. A search of their automobile uncovered several firearms.
The man arrested was later convicted of first-degree murder, robbery, motor vehicle theft, and illegal weapons possession. He was sentenced to life in prison plus an additional 40 years. He has been serving his sentence at East Jersey State Prison. In recognition of Patrolman Smith's ultimate sacrifice, a section of I-280 in East Orange, between mile markers 11.1 and 12.4, has been dedicated as the 'Patrolman Daniel 'Danny' J. Smith Memorial.' He was also posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
