Donald Smith’s Record As Sheriff
Professional Leadership
Donald leads by example. He has a strong work ethic and values working side by side with the deputies, while also leading the Sheriff’s office in his daily responsibilities. He starts his day each morning by working out in the gym. Donald implemented a gym at the ACSO so that the employees would have access 24/7, without having the expense of gym membership.
Donald ensures that the employees receive the latest training and updates needed to perform their jobs efficiently in an ever changing culture. He believes in being a leader, not a manager making himself accessible to his employees around the clock. The Augusta County Sheriff’s Office has grown together as a team and family over the last 7 years. When Donald was first elected, the employees had been through a challenging Sheriff’s election, missing evidence investigation, and forfeiture of accreditation. Since elected, Donald has worked tirelessly to overcome these obstacles and move the Sheriff’s office forward in a new and respectable direction. He intentionally works into the evenings, so that deputies on all shifts can easily approach him with questions and concerns they may have.
Donald and his Administrative Staff have completely re-vamped the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office policies and procedures manual in order to be in compliance with State and Federal laws to move the Sheriff’s office forward in a professional manner. In 2023, the ACSO was once again awarded accreditation from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services.
A working relationship with the Board of Supervisors and County Officials has been of the utmost importance to Donald and to the overall functionality of the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office. Through this relationship, the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office has received raises for deputies and staff, smart phones, received funding to add five additional positions to assist with coverage during peak hours and 14 additional school resource, deputies which will place a deputy in every school throughout Augusta County. The additional manpower alleviated the stringent workload that the deputies face on a daily basis. We are also currently working implementation and construction of a new digital trunking regional radio system for the department and surrounding areas. Donald has also worked very hard to establish a good working relationship with the School Board and Superintendent to ensure that the educational institutions throughout Augusta County are secured to protect the communities’ precious students as they learn. Schools throughout Augusta County are now locked and access is monitored. They have worked together to change the way faculty and staff inside the schools are trained including active shooter scenarios, which include early detection, prevention, and reaction if something were to happen.
