Chief Matt Smith

Chief Smith joined the Grand Junction Police Department in 1999 after beginning his law enforcement career with the Cortez Police Department. Smith has served as a deputy chief for the department for the past three years. During that time, Smith has overseen the Operations division which includes patrol and all other uniformed personnel as well as the Services division which includes Investigations, Training, Internal Affairs Office, the Records Department, and the Property and Evidence Lab, as well as the Grand Junction Regional Communication Center. 

During his tenure with the Grand Junction Police Department, Smith was promoted through the ranks from Sergeant to Commander to Deputy Chief. Special assignments have included participating as a detective on the Grand Valley Joint Drug Task Force, as a Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) officer, and providing oversight of the Community Resource Unit, and School Resource Officers, Code Enforcement, Professional Standards, the driving program, firearms, patrol tactics, and serving as the SWAT Commander.  

Smith is a veteran of the United States Navy and serves as a member of the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the FBI National Academy Associates. Smith holds a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Colorado Technical University and is a graduate of the 271^st FBI National Academy and the 58^th Session of PERF’s Senior Management Institute for Police. Smith also attended the National Tactical Officers Association SWAT Command Decision-Making and Leadership course.