Smith Cares About Locals

The people of Custer County have an important election coming up regarding the quality of public safety services and leadership of the Custer County Sheriff’s Office. Lloyd “Rich” Smith is a leader of character and experience that best fits the needs and values of Custer County. He has a wealth of top level experience, training, skills, and character to lead the Sheriff’s Office into the future in alignment with the core values of the residents of the county. Rich has a long history of outstanding project development, management and delivery, and is a leader who builds strong relationships with other agencies and other county departments to best serve his fellow citizens. He is a man who has demonstrated his life-long commitment to serving others. Rich Smith supports and defends the Constitution and the Bill of Rights in his daily life. I’ve known him for 20 years and can attest to his exceptional abilities and performance. He is well trained and experienced to handle all aspects of public safety services including criminal investigations, civil process, and the management and leadership of the Sheriff’s Office staff. He is a Christian and a fiscal and social conservative. While there are many different approaches to law enforcement and public safety leadership, the bottom line is that a leader that chooses to do the right things the right way and most importantly, for the right reasons is what is needed. Especially when considering the impacts of upholding our forefather’s vison of a free America. Lloyd Rich Smith is the person for that job, at this time, to be Custer County Sheriff. That choice is clear.

Mark V. Trostel

We are thrilled to be a part of helping Lloyd "Rich" Smith become elected to the position of The Sheriff of Custer County. We have attended several of Rich's Public "Meet and Greets" and have witnessed his interactions with The Public as well as ourselves first hand. Each time that we have had the opportunity to get to know him a little better, we are more convinced of his genuine Love, Character, Concern and Integrity towards The Custer County Sheriff's Department and it's Personnel as well as The Citizens of Custer County. Last, but not least, Rich's "Pro-Active Plans" for The Sheriff's Department as well as The County of Custer speak volumes of his true intentions.

Gordon & Judy Greer

I am proud to say that I know and support Rich Smith for Sheriff. How I came to know him is just one of the many reasons that he is far and above the best choice for our community.

In May of 2018, our son was killed in an automobile accident on highway 96 just a few miles east of town. I didn’t know at the time how very fortunate we were that the accident investigation was turned over to the State Patrol. There was a lot of conflicting information, misinformation, rumor and innuendo about the accident. Rich, Colorado State Patrol Captain Smith, saw and truly seemed to feel our heart break and anguish. He went above and beyond in every way, handling the investigation virtually as if it were his own family, untangling a mess of conflicting eye-witness statements and sorting through the evidence to get to the truth. He went out of his way to console devastated parents and ensure that we could have closure on at least this aspect of our loss, which in turn allowed us to grieve without the burden of lingering doubts and unanswered questions. From a simple human perspective Rich was caring and compassionate beyond comparison. Moreover, I have a number of friends, relatives and acquaintances in Law Enforcement and am excruciatingly aware of how far Rich went above and beyond simple obligations of his job. For this and many other reasons he has become a valued and trusted friend.

Rich Smith is not simply a very well educated and experienced Law Enforcement Officer, he is an example to all in the field of what they should be and how they should conduct themselves. Since meeting Rich I have heard and observed numerous stories such as mine. Rich is a caring, compassionate man who has a true desire to serve others and better his community. Rich Smith is a rare commodity. In a field filled with dedicated, selfless individuals, Rich stands out as the man you want to know is there when there is a problem. For the betterment of our community, for the future of our county, Vote Rich Smith for Custer County Sheriff.

Ellen Wilcox

I would ask you to spare a minute of your time to read about my experience with Lloyd “Rich” Smith, and why I believe he is deserving of your vote for Sheriff. I worked with Rich during my 13 years with the Colorado State Patrol, last holding the rank of Captain before moving to north Idaho to continue my law enforcement career. The first thing I found out about Rich is that he cares for people, experiencing this first hand when he drove several hours to check on me in a hospital bed after an off duty incident. His genuine caring nature and dedicated service sets Rich above so many others in this world.

I watched as Rich worked with his team in the Colorado Information Analysis Center to build the Auto Theft Intelligence Coordination Center (ATICC). He brought together members of law enforcement and the private sector to accomplish the goal of crime prevention using intelligence gathering and dissemination. The ATICC was composed of law enforcement and civilians and Rich found ways to relate to them all, making them feel valued and fulfilled at work even when he would have to make tough decisions that weren’t popular but were the right one.

In 2016 Rich and I both interviewed for the position of Captain for Troop 2A. The right man got the position that day, the man who quickly moved to Custer County and invested himself completely into your community, the man who should be your next Sheriff; Lloyd “Rich” Smith.

When the Colorado State Patrol started a Peer Support Program (mental health support), Rich quickly became a valuable member of the steering committee, working closely with myself and others on ensuring the members of the CSP were cared for prior, during, and after traumatic events. Rich was asked to manage the budget for this program, along with the large budget he was already overseeing at his Troop.

He would rarely speak about all of the great things he was doing in his Troop office, but I would hear about how the morale of the office was improved, that troopers felt valued and listened to, and almost even most importantly the relationship with the local agencies had improved all due to the hard work Rich was putting in day after day.

Rich has made himself an integral part of Custer County. He serves as an EMT with Custer EMS, a volunteer with the Search and Rescue team, and on the Custer County Dive and Rescue Team. He did all of this in addition to his position as a Troop Commander.

Growth within a department only occurs when someone takes a thorough look at its operations from top to bottom and is willing to make changes if needed. Rich states on his website (www.richsmithsheriff.com) that he plans a complete audit of the current policies, procedures, and training that are utilized in the Sheriff’s office. No more business as usual, but rather Rich will look to enhance the skills of the deputies to better serve you, the citizens of Custer County.

Rich is a dedicated, energetic, caring law enforcement officer that has dedicated his life to public service and building bridges to all citizens. I encourage you to vote for Lloyd “Rich” Smith for Sheriff of Custer County!

Daniel Haley

This letter is to recommend Lloyd Richard Smith for Sherriff. I have had the greatest pleasure of meeting Mr. Smith through my husband’s work. Let me tell you, when I say, Mr.Smith has been, by far, the best boss/captain/friend/co-worker a person could ask for—I mean it.

My husband has been with the Colorado State Patrol for about 20 years. Through out that time he has worked with many different leaders, supervisors, and head-honchos. Many of these individuals cared about 1 thing—themselves. They were often degrading, mean, lacked empathy, and lacked the understanding their fellow co-workers went home to families. Families that love them, worry about them and wish to see them more. Many supervisors made choices that suited them and not the entirety of the agency, let alone the individual or the individual’s family. Being a wife to an officer is hard enough, let alone seeing a person you care about work for individuals who do not return the same sentiments. I could go on about the many atrocious things my husband has endured over the years---but it all shifted when he went to work for Mr. Smith.

Mr. Smith is a people person. He cares about other’s---and I mean in a REAL way. He goes out of his way to meet people for lunch, call them when awful events happen, call them when things are fine, and genuinely cares to know about the lives of those he meets. Mr. Smith on many occasions stood up for his Troopers, staff, and civilians.

As a first responder, they don’t get to choose their shifts and if they do, it’s working days or nights, weekdays, or weekends. They miss out on birthday’s, soccer games, dinner, parent teacher conferences, and so much more. My husband has mainly worked evenings which has impacted our family and children greatly.

There was a time when Mr.Smith had the hard decision to make about schedules. He had to balance road coverage for Fremont County and manpower. That’s a tough call for many reasons, and Mr.Smith talked to his Troopers. He sought out how schedule changes would affect them, what their preferences were, and took it all into consideration. Mr.Smith made the decision to benefit his Troopers and staff. I cannot tell you how amazing it is to have a supervisor listen when someone underneath him says “I want to spend time with my family and this shift works for me” and Mr.Smith made it happen. My kids know their father is home in the evenings. They know he will be there for soccer games and dance recitals because Mr.Smith would make sure of it. My son and daughter’s delight to know their father is present in their lives—is a gift.

Mr. Smith is one of the most intelligent, considerate, and fair individuals I have had the pleasure to meet. I have met many Captains, Sergeants, Corporals and I can attest that Mr. Smith by far—is the best. I have no doubt Mr. Smith will take the job of Sherriff honorably, fairly, justly, and with the upmost respect.

Mr. Smith—you have my vote!

Jessica Belisle

We are writing to express our enthusiastic support for Rich Smith as Custer County’s next Sheriff. Rich recently retired from a highly distinguished twenty-year career with the Colorado State Patrol, where for the last six years he served as Troop Commander for Troop 2A that covers Custer, Fremont, Chaffee, and Park Counties, supervising three teams of Sergeants, Corporals, and Troopers who cover that territory. In addition to the day-to-day management of staff and operations, he oversaw the entire Troop’s annual budget, represented the Executive Branch at local emergency and disaster management meetings, implemented a local law enforcement intel sharing program, and implemented numerous peer support and Sergeants professional development programs to cultivate future leaders in the CSP.

Prior to serving as Troop Commander, Rich’s CSP career has included leading and participating in specialized task forces focused on the most heinous and dangerous crimes such as terrorism, sex trafficking, organized auto theft, and violent crimes. The two inmates currently serving the longest sentences ever handed down in Colorado history are sex traffickers put behind bars specifically because of the work Rich and his dedicated staff did to bring these perpetrators to justice. Rich also is and has been a volunteer for Custer County Search and Rescue, the Custer Sheriff’s scuba diving team, and Custer EMS. Rich’s resume is bursting with an admirable and indisputable track record of law enforcement leadership, inter-agency cooperation, and answering calls to serve his community.

He is a principled and humble man who does not seek power or prestige, but rather to serve the citizens of Custer County in a fair-minded manner guided by fidelity to the Constitution and his decades of leadership experience. We are honored to know him personally and strongly encourage all citizens to make a point of attending one of his upcoming public events and to visit his website to learn more: www.richsmithsheriff.com.

Rich Smith for Custer County Sheriff!

Neal & Becky Olson

Please accept this letter of recommendation for Lloyd “Rich” Smith as your Custer County Sheriff. I have had the pleasure of working with Rich for the past 20 years in various capacities in the law enforcement community, most notably when I was a member of the Colorado State Patrol at the rank of Major.

During my nearly 25 years with the Colorado State Patrol, I supervised Rich in multiple capacities, most notably while in the founding structure of the Homeland Security operations in Colorado as the Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC) Director and a member of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). During this time, I had the opportunity to engage regularly with Rich in counter-terrorism investigations, information sharing protocol development and the infrastructure protection enhancements across Colorado.

I can attest without reservation that Lloyd Rich Smith was a critical partner in multiple successful investigations and counter-terrorism practices that undoubtedly kept Colorado’s citizens safe and protected from crime and terrorism.

Through the years, I have watched as Rich worked at relationship building with the communities across Colorado. He quickly developed a reputation within the law enforcement community of a partner and team member that will go out of his way to assist others and work collaboratively for the safety of our communities. This was very evident in his ability to supervise our efforts across Colorado in the support of the Innocence Lost and Safe Streets task forces. His reputation was also one of a hardworking, honest and trustworthy law enforcement officer. He exemplifies humbleness, humility and a genuine care for those around him and his community.

During the formation of the State of Colorado Homeland Security structure in the mid 2000’s, Rich was instrumental in assisting the entire State of Colorado leadership in ensuring that the strategies to protect critical infrastructure were a priority for both funding and safety program development. He was and is still viewed as an integral part of the success that Colorado had during the time of the foundational construction. The State of Colorado was viewed as a national example of partnership and information sharing protocols and trust. Without a doubt, this is due in large part to the belief and guidance from Rich Smith.

Without reservation, I recommend Lloyd “Rich” Smith as your Custer County Sheriff. On a personal note, my great-grandfather and grandfather served as the Las Animas County Sheriff’s for a combined 52 years. I watched as a young boy and young adult how they successfully navigated public safety in a rural community in Colorado. I can attest from experience and observation that Rich Smith has what it takes to be an outstanding Sheriff. He has the personality, leadership, and integrity to lead Custer County in every aspect of public safety.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any concerns or questions regarding my interaction with Lloyd “Rich” Smith at any time.

Steve Garcia

My name is Adriaan Alberts. The following is based on my experience with Captain Smith over the past 5 years.

I met Captain Rich (Lloyd) Smith through LinkedIn, while in Africa, as I was doing research about working at the Colorado State Patrol. Captain Smith was not serving in official recruiting capacity, but still helped me get connected with the right people and explained to me what it is that a Colorado State Trooper does on a daily basis. His passion and servant mentality was clear.

I migrated from Africa to the United States in 2017. I had many questions between 2017 and 2019 when I was finally in Colorado and ready to apply. Captain Smith always had time to help me with questions I had. Captain Smith’s perspective and passion to serve is why I needed to join the Colorado State Patrol and no other agency would do. I was very blessed to attend the Colorado State Patrol Academy class 2020-1 and graduate both the Academy and the field training program. I served in the Colorado State Patrol until December 2021. I had to resign due to personal reasons beyond the scope of this letter.

Captain Smith did not have to talk to me, ever…but he did. He has an absolute passion for helping people. He spends so much of his time being involved one way or another in helping people that I think it would be hard to find him not doing something that somehow links to someone being helped in one way or another.

Every discussion I have had with Captain Smith has proved to me that he is an extremely reasonable, conscious, present in the moment, wise individual. He sees both the big picture and the detail. He is actively involved in serving his community, because he truly cares. You either have integrity or you don’t. Captain Smith has it.

Another Trooper who was working under Captain Smith at the time, once told me a story about his Captain beating him to a serious crash. He told me Captain Smith beat him there so he could provide emergency care to injured occupants. The reason Captain Smith is able to go further than normal Troopers with providing care is because he spends his own off time studying and volunteering in his community to help provide emergency medical services to his community. I have never heard of a Captain doing anything similar. Captains are generally more office bound. Not Captain Smith. He is an amazing leader, because he is a servant first. He leads by example.

I don’t know who else is running for Sheriff and I can’t judge them. What I can say with 100% certainty, is: “You might find an equally qualified person for the job with equal integrity, passion, wisdom, clear sense of purpose and servant mentality…but you will not find anyone who are all those things more than Captain Smith. That person simply doesn’t exist.”

Captain Smith will make anything he is involved in better than it was.

Adriaan Alberts

My name is Lee Robert Oly. I was employed by the Colorado State Patrol from 2006 – 2010 and was assigned to El Paso County for the duration of my time with the troopers as a patrol officer. Prior to joining the Colorado State Patrol, I had retired from the Alaska State Troopers and had spent nine years in the military. I presently live and teach part time in my home state of Montana. During my tenure with CSP, Rich Smith was my direct supervisor.

Sgt. Smith leadership skills and methodology principles were second to none in my prior experience in the military or prior law enforcement. Immediately upon taking over our unit, Sgt. Smith developed a working environment which increased employee motivation and job satisfaction by encouraging trooper employee creativity and productivity. He recognized the competence of most of the troopers and appropriately enhanced their skills by sharing his experience and having us build our competence even higher. He also worked closely with those few who needed higher levels of motivation by teaching them in areas they might have been weak in. Sgt. Smith created specific, measurable and time-bound goals that were based on the individual’s background, training and skill sets. By doing this, it created an atmosphere of encouragement and empowerment. During his term as direct supervisor, his leadership style lowered turnover rate, increased productivity, and minimized any confusion in the chain of command. Although he was inclusive in the planning and implementation of assignments and expected outcomes, there was never any doubt he had the final say and what his expectations were for any of the troopers.

Sgt. Smith, as commander of our unit, never hesitated to make sure all the troopers adhered to the written policies of CSP, the Constitution of the United States and Constitution of the State of Colorado. This included the proper request for and implementation of search and seizure warrants, probable cause for arrest, and detainment of vehicles for possible drug or illegal drug transfers.

With the current issues of police interaction with minorities, Sgt. Smith was cognizant of and mandated officer training, as well as adherence to, the respect for diversity of the citizens of this great country.

I thoroughly enjoyed working for Sgt. Smith and totally respected his professionalism. I cannot recommend more highly his bid for Sheriff of Custer County. His experience and training as an emergency medical technician and search and rescue could only enhance his skill set and his contribution to Custer County, Colorado.

Lee R. Oly

As our electoral process continues voters will have important decisions to make on who they want to serve in key community roles. I am writing in support of Lloyd “Rich” Smith for Custer County Sheriff. Rich Smith is a proven and experienced leader gaining tremendous experience in his law enforcement career serving most recently as the local Troop Commander in Custer County. Mr. Smith is a fiscal conservative and believes in free will as outlined in the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. It was my honor to serve with Rich for many years. During our time, I supervised him for several years while he oversaw the local Troop. Mr. Smith is well trained in all aspects of law enforcement working through the ranks of the organization gaining diverse experience along the way. Mr. Smith planned and successfully managed large scale budgets serving in a leadership role covering four rural counties of Colorado. Rich successfully developed key partnerships and executed strategic plans to ensure resources were deployed appropriately while directly responding to the citizens in our community. Mr. Smith is an exceptional problem solver and equally able to resolve conflict. He is well versed in all aspects of project management. Mr. Smith proved his leadership and administrative skills many times during his time as a Troop Commander.

On a personal note, Rich Smith is a man of integrity and honor. I witnessed Rich make many difficult decisions over the years. He always made decisions on his moral compass and for the right reasons. Rich Smith lives his life seeking to make life better for those around him. It is my honor to support him as he seeks the office of Custer County Sheriff.

Scott Copley

I support Rich Smith for Sheriff of Custer County. The reason I support Rich is because of his vast experience in public service. If you follow his career you can see a definite desire to “serve and protect”, the very definition of putting on a uniform. Those in uniform form a very tight bond with one another and very likely see themselves as separate and apart from the community they serve; I know that is how they are perceived by the public. As an example, imagine you’re driving in your car and suddenly there’s a LEO behind you. You’re not speeding, but your senses tell you there’s a potential danger there and you breathe a sigh of relief when they pass you by. The reason and purpose for wearing that uniform is to perform a responsibility and service to those in the community, yet that often gets lost on some who hold this special power over the citizenry. I think it takes a very secure person to not fall into this power trap and in my experience, Rich Smith has the secure ability to perform his job professionally and still maintain his humanity. I know I’m not the only person who recognizes this, maybe the only one to try to put it into words and putting it into words is not easy. I’m going to attribute this ability with the fact that I know Rich is a follower of Jesus. I know that Rich has many outstanding talents, abilities and character qualities as testified to by the many letters of support from those who have worked with and trained under him. I also know that I want a man who knows who he is in relation to God to be running the most powerful office in our county. I support Lloyd Rich Smith for Sheriff of Custer County because I know he will perform the job with the utmost care for everyone he serves, the citizens of and visitors to Custer County as well as this deputies and staff at the Sheriff’s Department.

Lisa Frank

I’ve been reading all the accolades, recommendations, qualifications and the bios of the two candidates for Sheriff. Street cop, road cop, one has a degree in management, the other has years of hands-on management. It goes on and on and Custer County is lucky to have two qualified people from which to choose. So maybe we should be looking for something different between the two. Some nuance to better guide us. So here’s my Smith story. Several years ago, I was pulling into the Post Office parking lot. I knew I had a problem with my vehicle because it was severely tracking to the right. I get out of my car and Smith pulls up beside me in his state cruiser and says you know you have a tire going down? After exchanging pleasantries, he offers to change my tire. I had this fleeting thought that this guy must think I look old and useless, but since I was closer to 70 than 60, I agreed. Smith pops his trunk lid, and it looks like an AutoZone display…at the very least a AAA response package. He pulls out a floor jack and spinner wrench and does the job. After he was through, I jokingly said “now I bet you have to write up a contact report”. He replied that he had already signed out of service for the day and was heading home when he saw my situation. And there it is…the nuance. Robert Darnell, a State Trooper working for Smith, said it best in the March 10, 2022 issue of the Tribune: “Serving the community is something Rich does no matter what title he has at the time. Not only does he serve the community, but he loves the community that he serves.” Another person previously commented that Smith was a Christian. That probably doesn’t mean much to some in the meteoric dust of the woke culture, but it does to me. Based on my personal experience Smith walks the walk.

Ron Newman

I am a retired Master Sergeant with 25 years of service in the Colorado State Patrol. During my years of service, I had the opportunity to serve with men and women who were dedicated professionals and committed to service of the citizens of this great state. Rich Smith is one of those people.

I’ve known Rich for close to 20 years as our career paths crisscrossed over the state. He is one of the most intelligent individuals I have ever met. Rich has demonstrated his ability to work with uniformed and civilian members of local, state, and federal agencies to build effective partnerships. Rich has been deeply involved over the years in using intelligence-based policing strategies to help address not only traffic safety needs but also auto theft, drug interdiction and human trafficking.

Not only has Rich demonstrated his ability to build partnerships with other law enforcement agencies, but he has also shown himself to be a compassionate leader. Rich cares very deeply about the welfare and well-being of his subordinates as this is a key element of an effective leader. This profession takes an unfortunate toll on those who chose to serve. Rich has seen firsthand the devastating outcome when those needs are not met. He has helped develop a support network to address the needs of the officer and their families.

Rich Smith has been very active in our own community as he has become an EMT and a member of the Search and Rescue team. As a citizen of this county, I can say with confidence that Rich Smith is by far the best choice for the office of sheriff of Custer County. Rich is the right guy at the right time with the right vision to navigate the challenges facing this community and the Custer County Sheriff’s Office. He will serve us with dignity, compassion, and professionalism.

William M. Holt

I was previously a State Trooper with the Colorado State Patrol before moving to Oklahoma to be closer to family. I attended the academy beginning in July of 2018. I was assigned to Florence for my duty station and was informed that Rich Smith would be my captain. Multiple people from the academy staff on multiple occasions told me what a great captain I was going to be working for and how lucky I was to have him as my captain.

Later in the academy I was walking from class to class when I heard a voice call out my name. It was Rich and he was smiling from ear to ear. Throughout our conversation, I could tell he was eager to have me work for him and excited to have another person working towards the same mission of saving lives. He continued talking about our purpose and it was clear to see that he was passionate about the importance of our job in law enforcement.

When I graduated the academy and started working with Rich, I learned that he actually tried to have a good relationship with his troopers. I continued working with Rich for just shy of four years. On multiple occasions, I would reach out to him for advice or help with something. Rich was always able to help me with either his own expertise or send me to one of his friends that he had worked with in the past. Rich made a lot of friends in his career in law enforcement and he always had someone he could reach out to for a helping hand. He has also acquired an unbelievable amount of knowledge in his long career. Rich was always working to better himself so that he could be better for the community he served. He has numerous certifications including being a part of a dive team and working for Custer County EMS on his time off. This is just two out of many.

Serving the community is something Rich does no matter what title he has at the time. Not only does he serve the community, but he loves the community that he serves. Even though Rich was my supervisor while we worked with the State Patrol, he has become a friend of mine whom I greatly respect. If I lived in Custer County, Rich would without a doubt have my vote to be the next Sheriff. I know he will do amazing things and serve Custer County to the fullest of his abilities as Sheriff.

Robert Darnell