Police Chief James A. Smith:

Chief James A. Smith was born in Alabama and raised in Baldwin, Florida. He graduated from school in 1967 and entered the Marine Corp. He served in Vietnam from 1968-1970. He joined the Baltimore, Maryland Police Department in 1971 where he was assigned to patrol, vice and detective in the internal investigation division. In 1980, he was appointed the Police Chief in Lanett, Alabama and remained there until September, 1987 when he was selected as the Chief of Tifton.

Chief Smith has attended Essex Community College, Essex, Maryland and the University of Baltimore. He attended the 131st session of the FBI National Academy, is a member of the first graduating class of Georgia Command College and a member of the 6th Gilee delegation to Israel in 1998. He obtained his Georgia Executive Development Certificate in 1988 and completed the FBI Executive Course in 1991.

Chief Smith is a District Vice President of the Georgia Chiefs of Police Association, and serves on several committees. In 1994, he was selected as the outstanding Chief in Georgia in the field of education and training. In July of 2002, he was awarded the Dr. Curtis McClung Award of Excellence for Community Service. He was appointed by Governor Zell Miller to the Children and Youth Coordinating Council in 1997. He is a member of the Rotary International Club, a past club president and has served four years on the Board of Directors for United Way.

Chief Smith has his Instructors Certificate and frequently instructs courses in the area of Ethics and Professionalism, Supervision and Police and the Public. He was part of a segment on community policing that aired in 1996 on NBC Nightly News, Eye on America. He is totally committed to working with and helping people, even outside the responsibility of Law Enforcement.

Chief Smith is married and he and his wife have three children and one grandchild. They enjoy camping and hiking, especially in Wyoming. They are both certified barbecue judges and enjoy judging contests throughout the Southeast.