NORWICH – Deputy Chief Dale Smith will wear the shield of a Norwich Police Officer for the last time Saturday as he retires after 24 and a half years of law enforcement service.
Smith began his career as a full-time Chenango County Sheriff’s Correctional Officer but was also a part-time road patrol deputy by the time he took a position at the Norwich PD after four and a half years of service.
Friday and Saturday, Smith will work his final shifts from 3 to 11 p.m.
He’s served the city for just over 20 years and was promoted to deputy chief in March of 2006. Currently Smith is the department’s evening Watch Commander in charge of several administrative duties, including road patrol assistance, managing the impound lot, record and archive management, grant writing and handling uniform stipends. Smith is also a certified fire investigator and has conducted arson investigations, some of them resulting in convictions, for the department.
Smith said he was gratified to have served the community he lives in and looks forward to continuing his public service as a licensed code enforcement officer for the City of Norwich.
“It gives you a good feeling to help the public. I have kids, I want them to grow up in a safe environment,” said Smith.
Smith who also works separately as a part-time code enforcement officer for the city said he will assume a full-time position this summer.
“I want to thank Chief Joe Angelino for his support and I’ve had a good relationship with most of my colleagues. I look forward to continuing to work with them from my position at the codes office,” said Smith.
Smith, who married in 2006 and has three stepchildren, says he looks forward to spending more time with his family, saying the duties of a police officer often called for personal sacrifices.
“I would recommend it to someone who wanted to do it and I’d be glad to do it again,” added Smith, in reference to being a police officer. “My advice to a new police officer: ‘It’s not an easy job but if you have a family and can weather it, you’re golden,” he said.
Smith recalled one Christmas morning where he responded to a infant death investigation, later determined to be a case of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
“I have kids. It’s Christmas morning. It’s heart wrenching sometimes,” he said.
Smith said one of his greatest challenges as a police officer came in March of 2007, just over a year after being appointed deputy chief, when the department responded to the brutal murder of a local woman, well known in the community.
“Since I was hired in 1991 it was the first murder the department had investigated and I was in a position where I became very closely involved in the investigation,” said Smith.
A few days following the incident police arrested a Norwich resident for the crime and he later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years to life in state prison, with the judge in the case recommending he never receive parole.
“It drove my family crazy, all the time away from home, but there’s something fulfilling in taking part in an investigation that brought him to justice. This is my community and I’m proud the crime didn’t go unsolved. Justice prevailed and hopefully some closure was offered to the family and community,” he said. “That’s really our job.”
“I’ll miss it here. The camaraderie we all had and the opportunity to serve the public as a police officer,” said Smith. “I won’t miss the 2 a.m. phone calls.”