Assistant Police Chief Mike Smith retired on Jan. 1 with 23 years of service with the Gastonia Police Department.
His retirement has triggered a number of other promotions and transfers in the GPD including Capt. Ed Turas’ promotion to assistant chief and assignment to Field Services, Assistant Chief Travis Brittain's assignment to Support Services, and Capt. Trent Conard's assignment to the Criminal Investigations Division. Traffic Sgt. Keith McCabe’s promotion to captain was also effective on Jan. 1.
“We’ve hired so many new officers,” Assistant Chief Smith said. “A lot of older officers are retiring and moving on. Whatever position I’m in I try to move it forward and leave it a little better than I found it, and help the next person and move out of the way and let them move it a little bit further than I moved it. If we keep doing that, all of us will keep improving to the point where everything is running very smoothly.”
Smith says he’ll miss his work family and citizens who also have become friends. Prior to joining the GPD, he had more than 20 years in active military service with the U.S. Army and the N.C. National Guard, and retired from the guard. Now that he has retired from the City, he’s looking for a third career opportunity.
“Hopefully I’ll find something else that will keep me busy, something that will be interesting and a new type of challenge,” he said. “The City’s been a great place – it’s been a lot of fun. It’s been interesting because you meet some really cool people that live in the City and that work for the City. I think that it’s hard maybe for some people to believe how hard City employees work trying to take care of the citizens and trying to do the best they can for them.
“City employees do a very good job of trying to be very customer-service oriented and to be engaged with citizens,” he added. “I think we’re real fortunate that we have such a good support system with the citizens – the police department and the City as a whole – everybody realizes we’re in it together to improve the City. I think that’s a great thing about working in the City and being a part of this City that I’ve enjoyed.”
Smith's retirement plans include joining the GPD Reserves program, fishing, and interior design and other home projects and chores at his home and at his mother’s house. And he wants to continue having fun with his kids like going snowboarding as well as supporting them in school and community activities.
