Candidate: Lorne "LJ" Smith, Jr

LJ started serving the citizens of Hamilton County while in high school, where he served as a junior volunteer firefighter with the Town of Jennings. Upon graduating from high school in 2007, LJ enlisted into the United States Marine Corps as a Military Police Officer. While enlisted, he served overseas in various roles to include two Operation Enduring Freedom deployments as well as conducting security details for high-ranking officials of the U.S. military, foreign military officials, and numerous United States Marines. While enlisted, LJ attended seminars and has taken classes in Forensic Material Collection and Exploitation, Military Law, Encountering Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Mental Illness, and Company Level Intelligence Cell Training. LJ has also received numerous awards and has been recognized for ensuring the safe passage of 97 Maritime pre-positioning force vehicles while in Aqaba, Jordan. After that, LJ was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, where he spent some time training United States Marines and South Korean Marines on the use of U.S. military weapon systems in South Korea. LJ also volunteered his time as a member of the “Toys for Tots” collection while stationed in Okinawa, Japan. LJ was Honorably Discharged from the United States Marine Corps as a Corporal in a leadership position.

Since leaving the United States Marine Corps in 2012, LJ has served the citizens of Hamilton County. LJ started off as the Fire Chief of the Jennings Fire Department until he completed basic law enforcement school in September of 2013. Upon completing basic law enforcement school, he began his Law Enforcement career in Hamilton County. LJ has worked in every Police Department in Hamilton County and with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. LJ decided early on in his career that he needed to learn what aspects of Law Enforcement are needed within all four corners of Hamilton County, and what the citizens would need from him for when he decided to ask you to be your Sheriff.

During the ten years of LJ’s Law Enforcement career he has become certified in Speed Measurement, Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, Advanced Roadside Impairment Enforcement, Breath Test Operator, Agency Inspector, which all pertain to individuals Driving Under the Influence of alcohol or drugs, Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Investigations, Advanced Patrol Tactics, Street Survival, Mental Health First Aid, Field Training Officer Program for Law Enforcement, Dark Horse Associates Criminal Interception/Interdiction, and General Instructor Techniques. LJ was also recognized as the runner-up nominee for Florida Retail Federation Law Enforcement Officer of the Year in 2017, for his involvement in solving a nationwide fraud case at the end of 2016. LJ also worked alongside the Hamilton County Drug Task Force while employed at Jasper Police Department. During this time, he assisted with numerous covert drug buy operations and assisted with executing narcotics search warrants with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force. LJ has been recognized and been given awards for exceeding the agencies “Core Values” for being community focused with the commitment he and other officers had to the citizens of White Springs.

LJ’s goal as your Sheriff is to have the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office serving the entire community of Hamilton County with honesty, transparency, and accountability. LJ will serve Hamilton County by being honest with the citizens, no matter how tough the situation at hand may be. LJ will be transparent, because the citizens deserve to know what is going on within the four corners of Hamilton County and within the Sheriff’s Office. This will include the accessibility and openness of information about operations (when possible) which will promote public trust and accountability. LJ will also serve the citizens of Hamilton County with accountability. The citizens of Hamilton County deserve someone who not only holds their employees accountable for their actions and decisions, but most importantly, themselves.

“Honesty, Transparency, Accountability.”