VAIDEN — A passion for helping young people is a driving force in the life of Larry Smith, Vaiden’s new police chief.
“I like dealing with kids and youth,” he said. “I’m affiliated with the Youth Challenge Academy at Camp Shelby. I’ve been a mentor for the last eight years. I realize that if you spend time with kids, they will develop.”
At the YCA, students can earn a GED while living in a regulated environment.
“A lot of the kids there are smart,” Smith said. “I go down and work out with them, just be with them. Most didn’t have a tough enough environment to make them stay in school.”
Smith said he hopes to develop programs in Vaiden to help youth.
“Most violence is coming from youth,” he said. “Our problems here are kids getting into stealing and drug trafficking. We’re trying to stop them before they get worse. Our officers are doing a good job of helping stop them.”
The main drugs used around Vaiden are marijuana and crack cocaine, he said.
Before coming to the police chief’s position, Smith has worked part time for the town as a deputy. He started in law enforcement as a deputy in Montgomery County and then worked as an officer at Duck Hill.
Smith said he believes his relationships with people helped him to get the job of police chief.
“There were more experienced people interviewed,” he said. “I appreciate those who voted for me.”
His theory of law enforcement is old-fashioned.
“Some officers forget we’re here to protect and serve the public,” Smith said. “If you think it’s just to write tickets and harass people, that’s wrong.”
Smith is a graduate of Winona High School and is retired from 21 years in the Army Reserve. He served two tours of duty in Iraq. While in the Reserve, Smith also worked as a firefighter in Winona.
Smith and his fiancée, Lakeisha Kennedy, have three children at home. Smith also has two children at the University of Mississippi and one in nursing school in Jackson.
When he isn’t working, Smith says he likes to work out and play basketball, as well as hunt and fish.
