Editor’s note: This is the fifth and last in a series of stories on police personnel who recently received department-wide awards.

 

For Sgt. Timothy A. Smith of the Suffolk Police Department, being named the department’s 2011 Supervisor of the Year was an honor.

Even better, though, was the fact the people who work for him were the ones who nominated him.

“It means a lot more,” he said. “I always think that I have the best job in the police department, because I get to go hit the streets with my guys.”

Smith supervises the southern Neighborhood Enforcement Team, which has been directly responsible for dismantling gangs such as Lloyd Street Gang, 5 Money Mafia, Lake Kennedy Posse and Hoffler Girls.

The team has obtained 26 gang participation charges resulting in 15 gang-related search warrants that allowed police to seize narcotics, weapons, vehicles and cash.

Before being transferred to the southern NET, he was the supervisor of the similar team that works in the northern end of the city. There, the team was responsible for dismantling two gangs, including All About Money.

Smith also is a team leader on the department’s SWAT team.

“It’s a great common denominator that we have together,” Smith said of working closely with his team. “It makes my job a whole lot easier that my guys love police work as much as I do.”

Smith, who said he found out about the award when he got a flood of “congratulations” texts after a department-wide email was sent, said he enjoys doing proactive street work just as much as investigations.

He has been in the Suffolk Police Department since 2004 and spent four years in uniform patrol until being assigned to the NET. He also has worked in the special investigation unit.

Officer Joe Rivera, who nominated Smith, said, “Sgt. Smith has the department’s best interest in mind before anything else. He has pride for the uniform and respect for the badge, and it shows in everything he does.”

Smith recently married his wife, Brandi.