Kelly Smith
MEET KELLY
Leadership Delivering Results for Our Community - Experience Matters!
Kelly Smith is a Marine Corps Veteran with service in the Infantry and Security Forces. He has been a police officer since 1997. During his 20+ year career (all in East Texas) he has performed as a Special Response Team (SRT) Commander, Task Force Officer for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Patrol Sergeant and Chief of Police.
During his tenure in Law Enforcement (LE) in East Texas, Kelly has fostered lasting professional relationships with current Law Enforcement and elected entities, including all city Police Departments, Wood County Sheriff's Office, and the District Attorney’s office and has maintained personal relationships with many former LE and elected officials.
Kelly Smith has maintained his Peace Officer’s License and certification continuously since September of 1997 and his Master Peace Officer’s License since 2006. Kelly has never has his Peace Officer license deactivated, suspended, revoked, or allowed it to expire or lapse. He has maintained his license continuously and far exceeded the minimum training hours as required by law. He has over 9500 documented training hours. Kelly continues to hone his skills attending numerous training classes in a variety of law enforcement disciplines, as well as, take every legal update training course each cycle on updated laws and procedures. Additionally, since taking office, Constable Smith has become a K9 Officer Handler and initially K9 Officer Juma (medically retired) and then K9 Officer Mata have become an integral part of the team, which includes Constable Smith and Deputy Jeff Hammond.
K9 Officer Juma
K9 Officer Mata
To continue his efforts when he was a DEA agent, i.e. to counter the ever increasing drug manufacture and associated criminal activity, Kelly has, worked hand in hand with city and county LE, in coordination with the District Attorney's office, to investigate, pursue and effect arrests in Mineola and the surrounding areas. In 2018, these efforts became significantly easier when, through the K9 Officers Association, Kelly acquired K9 Officer Juma. In that period, the number of drug seizures and the number of "bad guys" apprehended has increased exponentially. K9 Juma has the added skill as a search canine and has been involved in several search scenarios for lost and disabled, as well as, those on the "run". Juma is an outstanding PR tool. She constantly makes her rounds at the local schools and businesses, visits shut-ins and participates in local celebrations and ceremonies. K9 Juma was medically retired in 2020 and has been succeeded by K9 Mata, whose skills include drug detection, search, and attack.
Almost as important to Kelly as his own expertise and knowledge, is his desire to pass that on to other law enforcement professionals. Since 2000 Kelly has had his instructor license. He has over 14 specialized instructor certificates. He has provided training to numerous local and state law enforcement personnel in firearms and defense tactics, as well as, changing laws and procedures and how they affect the officers’ responses to a myriad of incidents and issues. An added benefit of this type of interaction is Kelly’s ability to maintain a relationship with officers he may not interface with during his normal tour of duty.
Kelly Mantra:
"In current law enforcement, we are used to dealing in facts and solid evidence. A coordinated effort of all law enforcement agencies and community members is paramount in the successful abatement of the criminal element. Current methods and current law must be used. Simply knowledge of the law is not enough; Current and maintained experience coupled with current knowledge is required."
Kelly Smith’s wealth of experience and knowledge, nurtured relationships with law enforcement and community, his ability to impart his knowledge to others, along with his professionalism have been a "Plus" for Wood County.
BELIEFS
I have been asked about my religious beliefs and core values. This is obviously a very personal question. Yet, I am unwavering in my beliefs and like to know that our citizens take voting seriously enough to truly know the candidates they are voting for.
I was raised in a strong Christian family and was introduced to Jesus as a young child. I accepted Him as my Savior at 9 years old. I am an ordained Christian minister that served, bi-vocationally, as a youth minister at Hubbard Chapel Baptist Church in Quitman for about six years. During that time I preached for about a year during their search for a full time pastor. Some of my best times, so far, in ministry have been on mission trips, where I had the opportunity to be a small part in children meeting Jesus. Even more pleasing has been years later when I see these young adults married with children walking as young men and women teaching their families about Jesus.
