J.B. Smith was continuously elected Sheriff of Smith County from 1976 thru 2012. He managed a department of 350 personnel and supervised over 1,000 prisoners. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Tyler with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a graduate of the National FBI Academy.
He is a Viet Nam veteran and has been chosen by the Department of Defense to present his “Laughter is Lawful” presentation to military personnel returning from war zones.
On his ranch, the Sheriff raises a small herd of cattle, a major crop of coyotes, armadillos and fire ants.
Besides being a sheriff and a national speaker, he is a licensed Texas auctioneer and a connoisseur of Texas chili. He has appeared on NBC Dateline, ABC Prime-Time Live, the CBS Today Show, and the NBC Morning Show with Matt Lauer. He has shared the speaker’s platform with personalities such as the late Zig Ziglar and other nationally known professional speakers. He has appeared twice on stage at the Nugget in Reno, Nevada.
He has authored two true crime books, “The Christmas Day Murders” and “The Unholy Ghost Murder”; two murders taken from the 146 homicides he was responsible for investigating. He recently received an Emmy for his TV production on Texas Heritage.
The Sheriff’s philosophy is “Blessed are they who laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused.”
Categories: Humorist, Law and The Judicial System, Veterans
