92-year-old Camden police officer still on the job helping community

Camden Police Officer LC "Buckshot" Smith drives down the road showing a reporter his escort route for school buses in the morning. "Buckshot" is believed the be the oldest Arkansas Law Enforcement Officer and has served since the 1960s. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/William Sanders)
Camden Police Officer LC "Buckshot" Smith drives down the road showing a reporter his escort route for school buses in the morning. "Buckshot" is believed the be the oldest Arkansas Law Enforcement Officer and has served since the 1960s. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/William Sanders)

An Arkansas police officer has been getting national recognition recently for his nearly 60 years of law-enforcement service in Ouachita County.

Last week, NBC Tonight with Lester Holt featured Camden police officer L.C. "Buckshot" Smith, who was honored by the city May 15 for his 92nd birthday.

The celebration held on the Saturday after his birthday was organized by his daughter with the help of Camden officials. Smith was the guest of honor for a parade-style festival on the streets of Camden, one of the first events in the city since the pandemic shut down most large-gathering activities in March 2020.

Earlier this year, CNN also aired a story on Smith.

Smith is happy about his years of police service being recognized.

"It's good," he said. "I appreciate everything. I never would have thought it would come to this, but I appreciate it."

Smith said he has wanted to serve the community in some capacity since he was young, and that drove him to become a law enforcement officer.

"I wanted to be a police officer or a fireman when I was a little kid, and I always like the excitement," Smith said. "And I always knew the police or fire department always had excitement going on."

Smith volunteered at the Camden Police Department in 1953 and became a full-time law enforcement officer in 1962 with the Ouachita County sheriff's office.

He's held many law enforcement positions over the years, he said.

"I patrolled for 25 years, and I went to management," he said. "I had different jobs. I was chief jailer, jailer administrator, supervisor and I was in management for whatever they wanted done."

Smith was a supervisor at the Ouachita County sheriff's office when a young Boyd Woody was hired as a jailer. Woody now is the chief of police at the Camden Police Department.

Woody said the experience he gained while working with Smith is invaluable.

"We've just kind of stayed together over the past 30 years," Woody said. "He's more than just an officer. He's a dear friend of mine."

Smith began working at the Police Department after retiring from the sheriff's office in 2011.

He does not hold a purely administrative position. He also patrols the streets, escorts school buses and funerals, and makes some traffic stops.

Many grieving families request Smith to escort their funeral processions, said Rachel Osinuga, an apprentice at Reddick Funeral Home.

"Many times, they've asked for Buckshot to be their escort," Osinuga said. "Sometimes if we're getting ready, and we don't have an official escort, he'll just jump in."

Smith has become a celebrity in his hometown. Recently, he said, he pulled over a driver who blew through a stop sign. The woman recognized him and shouted "Buckshot!" he said with a laugh.

"Everybody I stop knows me," Smith said.

Around Camden, people often see Smith patrolling in his unmarked 2013 Ford Taurus and wave to him. Mike Sherman, manager of Ken's Discount Hardware Store, said Smith has become quite a figure in the county.

"When people joke and say, 'You're going to be in trouble because he knows your momma,' Buckshot knows your mom, your grandma, your great-grandma. He knows them all," Sherman said. "He's met them all because he's been doing this a long time."

He's had the nickname "Buckshot" since he was a teenager when the manager of the service station where he worked began calling him that and it stuck. Now the name is on his Police Department badge and business cards.

Currently, Smith is the department's Neighborhood Watch coordinator. He meets with community members and organizes the watch groups, Woody says.

"Because of his age and his tenure here in Camden, he's just well-liked," Woody said. "It's easy for people to approach him and talk to him, and then he can come talk to me and share issues."

Woody said it is refreshing to see a police officer receive the spotlight for a positive reason.

"In the world we're living in now and how bad the police are getting beat up nationally, it's a good thing to see Mr. Smith getting praised instead of put down," Woody said. "I'd rather be known for having an officer working for over 50 years with an outstanding career than some of the other instances out there in the world."

When asked about when he plans to end his work with the police force, Smith said "When the good Lord takes me."

"I love helping people," he said. "I've taken more people to homes than I've taken people to jail. I like to help people."

Smith summarized his service as being fair with the community.

"I think I've been fair with everybody," Smith said. "I like to say that this badge and this gun don't make a police officer. You've got to have it in your heart to do the job and make a good police [officer]."

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