Paul Raymond Smith

Paul Raymond Smith, known as P.R. Smith (born August 3, 1959 in New Roads, Louisiana), is the former sheriff of Pointe Coupee Parish. Smith was first elected in 1995 and won second and third terms in 1999 and 2003. Prior to being elected sheriff, he served eighteen years as a deputy sheriff or chief deputy in Pointe Coupee Parish. On October 20, 2007, Smith was unseated in the nonpartisan blanket primary by his fellow Democrat, Beauregard Torres, III, known as Bud Torres. The vote was 5,753 (52.6 percent) to 5,185 (47.4 percent)
Biography
A native and lifelong resident of New Roads, Smith graduated in 1977 from Catholic High School in Pointe Coupee Parish. Thereafter, he graduated from the Louisiana State Police Basic Academy in 1983. On June 12, 1987, he graduated from the FBI National Academy. He completed several law enforcement courses including the United States Marshall’s Academy and the Louisiana State Police Academy on Crime Scene Investigation. Sheriff Smith is a certified FBI-trained firearms instructor.
During his early term, he was instrumental in the creation of marine patrol on Pointe Coupee Parish waterways, and the continuation of Pointe Coupee aviation division. In 2002 Smith first aired a local community service television program titled "Pointe Coupee's Most Wanted". The program features wanted fugitives, and hosts segments with law enforcement personnel from different agencies in an effort to share information and concerns of crimes and safety.
Professional and civic affiliations
Sheriff Smith was appointed in 2004 as member of the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement by Governor Kathleen Blanco. He is currently serving as an Executive Board Member with the Capital District Law Enforcement Planning Council, Inc. Smith is a member of the National and Louisiana Sheriff's Associations, and is a member of the Louisiana Sheriff's Association Task Force and the Law Enforcement Training for the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. He is past president of the Louisiana Sheriffs' for Better Law Enforcement. Smith is a member of the Pointe Coupee Salvation Army Unit and was charter president of the Pointe Coupee Jaycees. He is a former member of Ducks Unlimited and has been honored by the Pointe Coupee Multi-Use Center and the Young Riders Horse Riding Club in Lottie. He has also received special recognition from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, United States Marine Corps (in Belle Chase in Plaquemines Parish), Louisiana Army National Guard, Connecticut Army National Guard, and American Eagle Airlines.

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