Livingston Aldermen Approve Ray Smith As Police Chief

The city of Livingston has a new police chief.

The Board of Aldermen unanimously voted Interim Police Chief Ray Smith to permanently fill the position Monday. Alderman Bill Linder made the motion for Smith to become police chief.

“I think I’m going to make a motion for Ray, because if he was good enough for us to ask him to step in after the chief resigned and then he was asked again,” Linder said. “I think Ray is the man we need.”

A total of three candidates were considered by the board. Smith was the highest rated applicant based on an assessment conducted by MTAS. Alderman John Clough said the process was the right way for the city to make a hire.

“I’m glad we had some objective outside analysis, and it went through what sounds like a very structured and difficult process,” Clough said. “I think the cream rose to the top. We are going to have Ray.”

According to the assessment, Smith scored highly in motivation, work habits, interpersonal and management skills. Levi Mobley and Mark Gammons were the other two candidates considered. Smith said his goal is to be a servant to the community moving forward.

“I don’t take this job lightly,” Smith said. “I have not took my 25 years of serving the city of Livingston lightly. I work everyday for the betterment of our department. Those before me had mighty high standards, and I want to try and grow on those

After the Board of Aldermen meeting ended, Smith was sworn in as police chief by Mayor Curtis Hayes.

In other business, the Board of Aldermen approved three charter changes for the General Assembly to consider. If fully adopted, the resolution removes a sentence that prohibits Aldermen from being paid.

A future ordinance would need to be passed by the board to set the rates. The board also approved moving the city’s election day from the first Wednesday of June to the first Tuesday as well as setting July 1st as the beginning of an Aldermen’s term.

The resolution will now need to be approved by state legislators before full implementation since it changes the city’s charter. All three changes the result of a work session held last month to update the city’s charter.