Heroes Spotlight: Detective First Sergeant C.L. Smith
Detective First Sergeant C.L. Smith has served as an officer of the law for Stafford County for the past 10 years. He was born and raised in Spotsylvania County. He is a graduate of Chancellor High School and has a Business Degree from Bloomsburg University.
His family includes his father Howard Smith, a retired Sherif from Spotsylvania County, his mother Martha, significant other Ashley, 2 children Levi and Maddox, and his German Shepherd Ranger.
He started with patrol duty, was promoted to Patrol Sgt in September of 2017, shortly after he was transferred to the Criminal Investigation Division, and then promoted to 1stSgt in the Juvenile Service Unit in November of 2020. He then transferred back to the Criminal Investigations in 2022 and currently serves as the 1st Sgt of the Major Crimes Unit.
His family is very supportive of his career path. Ashley is very understanding of the late-night call outs and long days the job frequently requires.
“My kids love that I’m a police officer, although they don’t really understand what that truly means yet…they simply equate me to a member of the “Paw Patrol”.
What It Means to Serve
With a dad in law enforcement, it’s easy to see why Chris would want to follow in his footsteps.
“Being able to give back to the community means a lot to me. Growing up, I was able to see how much my father positively impacted so many people through his job, which is what really drew me to this line of work, and I hope to pass that same passion for service along to my children. “
At 32, Chris has a long way to go before retiring. However, he would like to become more involved in youth wrestling in the area. He recently competed in the 2023 World Police & Fire Games in Winnipeg, Canada. He won first place in Freestyle and Greco-Roman Wrestling.
His favorite part about his neighborhood is that it is quiet, private, and the kids have a lot of room to be outside and play!
Detective First Sergeant C.L. Smith thank you so much for your service.
