Jeff Smith will officially announce his candidacy for Montgomery County sheriff at an event on Saturday at 11am at the Old Montgomery County Courthouse in Fonda, according to a press release he sent earlier this week.
Smith is a resident of Fonda and currently serves as the Montgomery County emergency services director, and as a police officer with the St. Johnsville Police Department. He has previously served at the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office as a corrections officer, then deputy sheriff, and finally as undersheriff for the county over a timespan from 1988 to 2014. He has also served as the Montgomery County STOP-DWI coordinator, as an officer with the Fort Plain Police Department, and as a Fort Plain village trustee.
On his resume, Smith also lists 30 years of experience as a volunteer firefighter with the Fort Plain Fire Department, as well as a number of positions on boards and committees with local organizations.
According to Smith, he graduated in 2012 with an associate degree in criminal justice from Herkimer County Community College, and is also a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy.
In the release, Smith wrote, “It is with great pride and excitement that I am entering the race to become our next sheriff in this great county! I am uniquely qualified for this very important office. I have the work ethic, dedication and sound moral principles to be your next sheriff…I have the skill set to oversee a department entrusted to protect this community. Throughout my career, I have done my very best to protect this community when criminal activity has been afoot. I can assure all the residents of this county that my number one priority as your sheriff will be to continue to keep our families and community safe.”
Smith said he will seek the Republican, Conservative and Independent party lines for the November 2018 election.
