In the Spotlight

Jacqueline D. Smith, EdD, MS: Pivoting and Perseverance

“Is this seat taken?”

Saying, “No,” and inviting the stranger to join her at the initial reception for the 48th Annual National Organization of Black Law Executives Conference held in New Orleans, LA in August 2024, Ivory Freeman of Bessie Morris Foundation had no idea about the fascinating career she would discover. Jacqueline Smith and Ivory Freeman hit it off right away.

Read how Jacqueline's journey to her dream of working at the Federal level was not a straight path. “Sometimes you need to pivot.”

GAINING EXPERIENCE AS A CITY OF ATLANTA POLICE OFFICER

While earning her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Jacqueline's professor/Department Chair/Mentor, Dr. Charles Chastain, saw something in her that she hadn't yet recognized in herself — the propensity to be a teacher, specifically one who could train police officers.

“You should join the Little Rock Police Department,” he suggested.

Jacqueline laughed. “Are you kidding? I can't even talk in front of you, much less an entire room of people.”

At the time, law enforcement wasn't on her radar. But during a visit to Atlanta, everything changed. She met an Atlanta police officer whose passion for the job was contagious. He made being part of the Atlanta Police Department sound like “the best thing since sliced bread.”

Thinking that police work could be a steppingstone to a federal career, Jacqueline took home the half inch thick paper application. She prayed about it but told no one in her family. A few days later, she mailed it in.

Some time passed before she received a call—she had been selected for the next steps: an aptitude exam, a psychological evaluation, and a physical fitness test. Without hesitation, she drove over 500 miles to Atlanta, unsure of what to expect. To her surprise, she passed all the tests. Soon after, she was given the offer of a police officer position and was invited to move to Atlanta to become a police recruit in the class of 168 police academy.

The academy was a whole new world. Jacqueline had never shot a gun before, and though she had played sports in school, she had never endured military-style physical training. Especially as a larger woman, the rigorous workouts were grueling. But she pushed, working out before the academy classes and some days after class, improving little by little each day. By the end of the academy, she passed the physical test — a milestone that proved her resilience.

One of her instructors later admitted, “I thought you'd wash out. But you proved me wrong, you proved us all wrong."

Jacqueline doesn't let others' doubts define her. She stays focused, avoids negativity, and keeps moving forward.

In 1998, she was officially sworn in as an Atlanta police officer. Her entire family attended her graduation, cheering her on as she stepped into her new role, as one of Atlanta's finest: an Atlanta Police Officer.

“For the first five years, it was fun. I never thought about "What if I get shot?'” she recalls. “I was focused on helping people — and as a beat cop, I got to do a lot of that in the community every day.”

Then in 2004, she took the investigator test and passed the first time. During her 11 years as an investigator, she worked in Special Victims Unit (SVU), Intelligence Unit, Zone Units working primarily on domestic violence cases, and Internal Affairs Units. She was recognized with the Outstanding Investigator of the Year Award in 2008 for her subject matter expertise and investigative knowledge service from the American Bar Association.

BECOMING AN GEORGIA PEACE OFFICE MASTER INSTRUCTOR

Channeling what Professor Chastain had said to her earlier in life, Jacqueline felt the courage to pursue teaching and training others. Teaching was her way of going beyond just wearing the badge. It was a chance to shape the profession, to ensure officers weren't just following orders but understood the “why” behind what they did.

One of her supervisors also saw her potential. He pushed her to go for instructor certification, which had three levels: General, Senior, and Master. The test was no joke — it was tough. But in 2014, she became the first Police Master Instructor, training others how to teach police officers effectively.

Beyond policing, her passion for teaching flowed into higher education. From 2010 to 2022, Jacqueline was a faculty member in the Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice at Kennesaw State University, where she taught criminal justice courses.

Jacqueline's teaching philosophy has always been rooted in foundations and policy — “I don't just teach people what to do; I teach them why it matters and how to research for themselves.

“Teaching, for me, is about legacy. Some of my students at Kennesaw went on to become police officers because of what they learned in my class. That means everything to me.”

In 2017, Jacqueline retired from the Atlanta Police Department as a Police Supervisor and then continued serving as a Reserve Police Officer until 2020. But her work in shaping the future of policing through research, teaching, and policy writing hasn't stopped.

WORKING ABROAD

After nearly 23 years on the force, Jacqueline was an Intelligence-Lead Advisor under the U. S. Department of State and Department of Justice. She traveled to and worked with several different countries' police departments including Kosovo, Philippines, India, Tunisia, Morocco, and Liberia, advising on evidence-based policing to combat crime preventively.

“I loved it. I'm a people person. I like to figure out how to make systems work better - large systems. For example, I went from a 2,500-manned Atlanta police department to Manila's 200,000 police officer department.” She advised on community policing, anti-terrorism, intelligence-led / COMPSTAT, data analysis, internal affairs, and more.

“After three months implanted in Manila, the investigators relayed previously unshared intimate details of cases they could not solve. I believe these senior-level investigators were willing to open up to me because I was objectively willing to jump in and help them with tactics, they could try that were based on their existing parameters. When the initiatives worked, the investigative floodgates opened. I received requests from many regions covering the 7,000 Philippine islands.”

FULL CIRCLE PIVOT

While Jacqueline was working overseas, she was simultaneously earning her doctorate in higher education and leadership management. Although she really enjoyed working abroad and the camaraderie of those assignments, she felt that she needed to use her intelligence and wisdom for home. “We need to work on our problems in our criminal justice system.”

Jacqueline applied, interviewed, and received a fellowship assignment with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellowship Executive Branch (U.S. Department of Energy). She said, “Like every step that I take, I pray about it and ask for guidance and direction from Him Almighty to lead me and guide me along the way. That is what my mother instilled in me, and it has never failed me.”

She was looking for fellowships that “were in her lane,” i.e., criminal justice, however, in 2024 she was accepted for a position by the Office of Science (SC) and High Energy Physics to visit colleges and universities, offering pathways to future scientists in the energy space. She thought, “I am not a scientist.” But I do have other qualities of curiosity and wanting to learn, communicating opportunities, and imparting knowledge to others.

Pivot.

After her fellowship ends in August 2025, Jacqueline will wait to see where God leads her. Being an AAAS Policy Fellow can be a launching pad for the federal government. Or she could pursue a pathway into the nonprofit world or even return to overseas opportunities. Whatever comes next, one thing is certain—Jacqueline's journey is far from over, and the best may still be ahead.

GUIDANCE

Watching from an early age, Jacqueline observed one of her older sisters, Delores' tenacity and a commitment to getting things done. It is clear reading Jacqueline's story that she embraced her sister's traits.

Jacqueline is spiritual so she keeps scripture verses in mind that help inspire and guide her. Her mantra helps her persevere and she hopes it helps readers as well.

Proverbs: 3:5-6:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.

Philippians 4:13:
I can do all things in Him that strengthens me

Don't give up. Don't give in to see what the end is going to be.
If you give up, you won't see what the end will be.

Jacqueline D. Smith, EdD, MS LinkedIn Profile

AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships