Police chief serves, he says, to ‘try to make a difference’

A week after being honored with the state’s highest honor for a lawman, awarded the William Matthew “Bill” Tilghman Public Service Award from the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Hall of Fame, Lawton Police Chief James T. Smith said it feels surreal.

It’s good to be recognized, but Smith said it’s not the reason he followed a path into service for both, the nation and his community.

With over 30 years in, both, law enforcement and military service. Smith said it all comes from a commitment to serve others and to bring justice to others.

Smith said his path to serve in law enforcement began with in his Kentucky childhood and affinity of solving puzzles. It is an integral part of his philosophy as a law enforcement officer from solving crimes to community issues. The key pieces, he said, are communication and transparency.

“I’ve always been fascinated with puzzles,” he said. “I’m always looking at how things are put together. With police work, there’s a lot of that.”

It begins with seeing what, when and where something happened. The puzzle is putting the pieces together to bring closure and justice to victims and their families, Smith said. The question is: how do you do that?

“That’s always been one of my motivations,” he said, “to help people and bring justice.”

Smith credits those who’ve helped him on his way. He spoke how many lessons are learned by being young and making mistakes – “That’s when you’re supposed to make mistakes.”

Mentors teach you how to treat people, Smith said. Many shaped his views in how you learn to have compassion for your community. Equally, he said, experiences with “bad bosses” has taught him lessons in things you should not do.

Being aware and soaking it in, helps shape your character, according to Smith. It also comes from seeing the world as it’s evolved. He spoke of the turbulence of the 1960s and its history, citing the tactics of Bull Connor, the Commissioner of Public Safety for the city of Birmingham, Ala.

“Growing up as a young African American male back in the 60s, it was a terrible time,” he said. “Looking back at history, I’ve been determined to treat people better than that. There has to be a better way of treating citizens, a better way of doing law enforcement.”

Through the 70s, 80s, and 90s, Smith spoke of advances in technology and tactics that helped law enforcement evolve. Still, there were lingering “old ways” that continued a trend of an oppositional role of police that was deserved, he said.

“We did some terrible things to our citizens,” he said. “We in law enforcement have to remember they are our bosses. Our primary job is to keep people safe and provide a public service.”

Recognition that jailing everyone isn’t a cure-all has been a substantial step forward, Smith said. He said many people caught up in the system are in need of mental health assistance, be it from drug abuse to psychological issues.

Despite great strides forward, all’s not perfect, Smith said. He noted the George Floyd and Breonna Taylor incidents were big mistakes by law enforcement. But they offer a chance to improve. Their bosses want a different way of policing, he said.

“We have got to take an internal look,” he said. “We have to do a better job. We cannot police the way we did 10 years ago … five years ago.”

Criminals change and evolve, becoming more astute, Smith said. Using new technology like the internet and artificial intelligence, there has been a surge of technological crimes. He spoke of people being scammed out of their life savings from someone overseas as an example that’s cause investigators to have to learn to stay in the game.

“We’re behind the curve but we’re catching up,” he said. “The internet is a haven for criminals, predators and child molesters.”

Smith said artificial technology is a new trend that’s only going to be more unpredictable as criminals develop it for nefarious means. He said his voice has been artificially duped for a phone scam, much like some of the IRS scams where people are fooled into giving money or information.

“Technology can be very good but it can always be used for bad,” he said. “I don’t know where that’s going to take us; criminals are always looking for how they can twist it.”

As far as drug crimes, Smith noted how from the crack epidemic in the 1980s through the Wild West days of methamphetamine to today’s overload of fentanyl, law enforcement is always asking: “What’s coming next?”

“We have to constantly look at future trends now,” he said. “It’s ever changing. Sometimes, I feel like I’m the old school now.”

One thing Smith believes in to improve police insights and relationships with the citizens is community policing efforts. Building relationships begins with interacting with people outside of their worst day. He believes it’s a proven method.

Smith cited an early example in his career while in Kentucky was when he met with community members about an open-air drug market.

“I thought I knew the problem,” he said.

In turn, Smith said, he was off target. The people’s concerns were tall grass, abandoned vehicles left behind homes and trash but not, per se, the drug problem. After hearing their concerns, he said he contacted the appropriate agencies and those things started being taken care of. Then, headway was made regarding the drug market.

“These were quality of life issues,” he said. “They saw the police department cared and it opened up a dialogue; we built a level of trust.”

Interacting with young people is another way trust is built, Smith said. Many have issues at home or in their neighborhoods. Their first impression of police may be seeing people getting in trouble without context.

“We listen to them, talk to them,” he said. “You gain their trust and then you get their support.”

Citing the junior police academy put on by the department each summer, Smith said it offers children an insight and understanding of what police do. He said the citizens police academy does the same for adults.

“We do a lot more than just lock people up,” he said. “We do a lot of community outreach projects.

Smith believes Lawton “is a very good community.” Part of that comes from it being a military town with a large veteran population who are open and welcoming to the concepts. In turn, it allows his department to provide a good professional service.

A key component of that is communication and transparency. Smith said communication is the best way to solve a disagreement. That means listening to the community when police get it wrong. He noted that at the department’s website, there are avenues to voice concerns and file complaints.

“We’ll adjust and try to make it right,” he said. “If there’s an issue, trust me, the citizens will tell us.”

Releasing information and body camera video as soon as possible when it’s legally feasible is one avenue of allowing the public to be informed, Smith said. He said body cameras have been “very good so far,” but aren’t a cure all. Each camera only shows a piece of the puzzle and, with multiple officers at some calls, it takes multiple pieces to put together the picture.

“I think we are very open and transparent,” he said. “We’re not trying to hide anything.”

When asked how long he feels he’ll continue as a lawman, Smith said as long as he wakes up and enjoys coming to work and serving the community, he will serve. He believes in his officers and staff and, most importantly, the people of Lawton. It’s about making changes for the better.

“My goal was to always try to treat people right inside and outside the police department, build a good strong community and keep the community safe,” he said. “I wake up each day to try to make a difference.”