Community Awards — Law Enforcement Officer of the Year

"They were like movie stars in my young mind,” he says. "From an early age, I had a strong image of law enforcement.”

Those experiences and a desire to have a career in public service are what inspired him to become a police officer. 

Smith has been with the San Diego Sheriff’s Department since 2014, and specifically asked to be assigned to the Ramona substation four years later. 

It’s a decision that he says has been rewarding in more ways than one.

"Ramona is unique in how much they show they care about their law enforcement, and we appreciate it a lot,” he says. "I have enjoyed working here in the last few years.”

Station Lieutenant Michael McNeil shares that he appreciates Smith’s calm demeanor and proactive approach to law enforcement. 

"Not only does he have a really strong work ethic and he’s extremely smart, but he also has a great balance in temperament,” he says, explaining that those principles apply to community relations and victims, as well as suspects. "He’s known for treating them with dignity and respect, and I really appreciate that.”

For Smith, it’s an approach that just makes sense for everyone involved. 

While he says that it’s first and foremost the right thing to do, he explains that it also allows for more genuine reactions from parties involved, which can be helpful in the investigation process. 

"Sometimes in law enforcement, you are automatically an intimidating presence for people,” says Smith. "In the interest of ultimate justice, you want to try and make people as comfortable and neutral as possible.”

And in McNeil’s eyes, Smith’s approach, along with the combined efforts of the station’s other officers, has contributed to some of the lowest crime rates in Ramona in recent years. 

"Another real integral part of keeping the crime rate low here in Ramona doesn’t just involve responding to calls for service,” McNeil says. "It’s also recognizing and responding to crime trends and getting ahead of those trends. It’s identifying why crimes are happening in parts of town and addressing them before they get out of hand — he’s very good at identifying those trends and addressing them.”

Smith is also one of the station’s corporals, a title that places him in a leadership position and allows him to serve as a field training officer. In this role, he helps develop training programs and rides along with new deputies to provide mentorship. 

But both Smith and McNeil recognize that it truly takes their entire team to help keep Ramonans safe. 

"It’s awesome to get the (Ramona Chamber of Commerce Law Enforcement Officer of the Year) award, but I feel that I’m a representative of the team — I feel like the team is getting the award,” Smith says. "Nothing I do gets done without them.”

He is thankful for the station’s leadership, fellow officers and staff for making the Ramona substation a great place to work. 

"It’s a good time to be a Ramona resident — (this is a) very competent group,” he says. "It’s hard to go anywhere without residents and the community coming up to us and telling us how much they support us.”