CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. - As Charlottetown Police Chief Paul Smith reflects back, a major drug bust in 2014 is one of the highlights of his career.
Smith, 62, is celebrating 40 years with the Charlottetown force (he’s been a police officer for 41 years).
When asked about highlights from his career, Operation Clean Sweep is right at the top. That’s when police seized an estimated $400,000 in drugs in a bust that was the largest operation in the force’s history. It led to the arrest of several prolific suppliers as well as what Smith describes as subsidiary targets.
“That’s a big one for us. It was certainly something we had never done before in terms of any of the policing work,’’ Smith said in an interview in his office at police headquarters on Thursday.
“We had some great accomplishments in it in terms of what we had initially targeted in terms of our primary goals and what we achieved. We certainly got almost all of our number one targets and then the subsidiary targets beyond that.’’
However, it isn’t only the enforcement part that Smith is particularly proud of. Around the same time, the methadone program was expanded, helping police drive a wedge into the sale and use of drugs and get them off the street.
“Those that were addicted to opioids and what we were able to accomplish in terms of cutting down the flow – the methadone program was there (and) it was kind of a win-win on both sides.’’
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Paul for 30 years. Obviously, for the last 15 years as mayor I’ve gotten to know him better, and I have nothing but the greatest admiration for the job that that guy does day in and day out.’’
-Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee
Smith began his policing career in Borden-Carleton the year before he was transferred to Charlottetown. When he came to the capital city, the police force was still operating out of City Hall. It wouldn’t transfer to its current location on Kirkwood Drive until Jan. 1, 2000.
He said police work has changed a lot since he first strapped on the uniform, especially in terms of technology.
“When I first started there was no Charter of Rights (and Freedoms). When you look back in the late 1970s to the Charter there was very little that covered search and seizure provisions and all those kinds of things and the right to counsel and all that.’’
Related: Charlottetown deputy police chief Gary McGuigan retires
Mayor Clifford Lee made a point of signalling out Smith’s 40th anniversary at the June public council meeting this week.
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Paul for 30 years,’’ Lee said. “Obviously, for the last 15 years as mayor I’ve gotten to know him better, and I have nothing but the greatest admiration for the job that that guy does day in and day out.’’
Lee said as elected officials, council obviously has its own priorities at times as to where it wants police resources focused on, but at the end of the day, it’s Smith who must manage the requests with running a police department.
Smith isn’t sure how much longer he will stay on as chief – probably another year.
“I would be wrong to say I haven’t thought about going, but there’s a few things that have come up, (such as) the police review I’d like to be a part of and be involved in. I’ll be here for a little bit yet.’’
