Westfield State alum, Mark Smith '13, M'17, was appointed as the new police chief for the town of Lenox, MA

Westfield State alum, Mark Smith, who graduated from Westfield State in 2013 with his Bachelor's of Science in Criminal Justice, followed by his Master's in Criminal Justice, has recently been appointed as the police chief for the town of Lenox, MA. Smith succeeds former chief Stephen E. O'Brien, who retired, bringing more than 30 years of criminal justice experience. Smith, who started working in 1995 in Grafton as a patrol officer, rose through the ranks to become a sergeant in 2006 and has worked as both a detective and a school resource officer. He also began implementing important programs in the department, including the canine program and several grant-funded initiatives. Smith has received the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (LEEDA) Trilogy Award, presented to law enforcement officers who complete three FBI-LEEDA leadership courses. Earning this award signifies a dedication to advanced leadership training, covering areas such as liability, discipline, change management, and preparing for future challenges in law enforcement, making it a notable achievement. To note, this is just a small percentage of things Smith has accomplished in his 30+ years of service. Smith has also served as the municipal police chief for North Brookfield for the past 11 years and had a brief tenure as Chief of the Hinsdale Police Department from 2014 to 2015.  

Thank you for your dedicated service in keeping us safe, Chief Smith! We are proud of you! 

To read more about Chief Smith, click the link here!