Smithville takes first step toward resurrecting police department

SMITHVILLE — The citizens of Smithville became a little bit safer this week as community leaders took the first steps toward resurrecting the small municipality’s Police Department.

The Lee County community, which has been without an official police force for the better part of the past four years, was the recipient of two surplus police cruisers which were donated to the town by the Lee County Board of Commissioners and Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

“We’re starting a new beginning for the Smithville Police Department,” said Lee County Sheriff Reggie Rachals while presenting the police cars. “The mayor here is working real hard to get it done, and we look forward to the police department getting started back up.”

Jack Smith, who was recently re-elected mayor after having served in that capacity several years ago, said re-establishing a police force is something he feels is very important for the entire community and that protecting the citizens is one of the most important functions of local government.

“It means a lot to us,” said Smith. “It just matters. I think everybody needs a police department. The people want a police department. It’s important.”

Smith said that while establishing the new police force was a goal of his, it would not be possible without the support of the County Commission and the sheriff’s office, and their willingness to donate the two vehicles to get the ball rolling.

“We’re proud of the sheriff and we’re proud of Lee County and the commissioners,” Smith said. “I’m just really pleased. The county and the sheriff have really helped us out here.”

Smithville was able to receive the two fully operational Ford Crown Victorias after the cars rotated out of active duty and were set to be replaced by new cruisers through SPLOST funding.

County Commissioner Dennis Roland explained that the county typically doesn’t generate much income by selling surplus police vehicles, so when Smith approached the commission about restarting the police force, it just made sense for the commission to help by providing the cars.

“I felt like if we donated them, it would help get the police department going again,” said Roland. “I feel like the government owes you three things: protection of the law, adequate roads — whether they’re dirt of paved — and I believe in the school system. I think the people up there deserve protection. They’re part of the county, too.”

Roland added that the general consensus among commissioners is that donating the two cars to help get the police force started again is a more economical way to protect that part of the county.

“I felt like if we donated the vehicles that would help them, it would help the local citizens and it would help the county to not have to have a deputy patrol up there,” Roland said.

The commissioner said he’s had that view for quite some time and that the county commission had tried to help the community maintain its police force in the past by allocating additional sales tax revenue to Smithville to help fund the police department.

“We felt like it was cheaper to let them run their police department,” said Roland. “Unfortunately, they still decided to shut the police department down. It didn’t work out like we planned it.”

Since the community has been without its own police force, the job of patrolling and protecting Smithville has fallen to the sheriff’s office, and Rachals said he believes this change will be beneficial for everyone.

“We get quite a few calls up here, and this will alleviate us from having to come up here as often,” the Lee sheriff said. “From the law enforcement standpoint, it’s going to help us. This will alleviate having to have a deputy up here like we’re doing now.”

Even though the new force will help the efficiency of law enforcement throughout the county, Rachals said it won’t change how his office treats the community and its residents.

“We’re still going to patrol it like we would any other part of the county,” he said. “We’ll definitely be there for Mayor Smith and the police department whenever they need it. We’re going to help them the best we can with what we’ve got. Any assistance they need working cases, if they need it, they’ve got it. “

Now that Smithville is in possession of the cars, which still have working lights, sirens and backseat cages, the mayor said the community will add the proper markings to them and begin the process of staffing the department.

“I’ll be honest, when I came back in here the city was broke; we’ve been trying to build back and we’re doing a pretty good job I think,” said Smith. “We’ve tightened out belt, and we’re going to get going.

“We’re going to start slow for financial reasons. We’ll probably start with a chief and a part-timer, then work it into a full force, maybe within a year.”