City of College Station Blog

By Sgt. Andy Murph, CSPD

On Friday, Officer Brad Smith retired after nearly a half-century in law enforcement, including 38 years in two stints with the College Station Police Department. Hundreds of well-wishers attended his retirement celebration at the Lincoln Recreation Center in the neighborhood where he grew up and later patrolled.

And it all started with a career-ending football injury and a knock on his door.   

Officer Smith’s long and storied career includes many awards recognizing his decades of dedicated and selfless service to our community. In 2024, he received the 100 Club Super Cop Award at the annual Heroes Awards Banquet in Houston, and he’s twice been the recipient of CSPD’s highest award, the Medal of Honor. He retires as CSPD’s longest-tenured officer.

One Door Closes, Another Opens

Officer Smith grew up in College Station and attended the segregated Lincoln Center School in the early 1960s. With Integration underway, he entered the College Station public schools and became an accomplished football player at Consolidated High School as a running back and defensive back. He was also a standout in the newly integrated Bryan Boys Club, where he excelled in baseball and other sports.

During his senior year, CSPD Capt. Edgar Feldman spoke to Brad’s high school class and left a lasting impression on the young football star. He later told a local reporter he was interested in pursuing a law enforcement career after college if professional football didn’t work out.

His football prowess had captured the attention of college recruiters, and he accepted a scholarship to play football at Southwest Texas State in San Marcos. Unfortunately, he was injured as a freshman and returned home, planning to continue his education at Blinn College the next semester.

One day, a CSPD officer knocked on his door and asked Brad to come to the Police Department to visit with Capt. Feldman and Police Chief Marvin Byrd. The leaders had heard about 19-year-old Brad’s injury and remembered the newspaper article about his interest in law enforcement. They offered him a job as a police officer for $776 per month.

So, in 1978, at age 20, Officer Smith received three weeks of on-the-job training and began patrolling the streets of College Station. Under the rules of the time, he could perform police functions but had to attend a police academy within a year of starting. One day, he went to the local Gibson’s Department Store to purchase a handgun to use instead of his issued revolver, but they said he was too young and had to have someone else provide his duty weapon.

The Road Back Home

Officer Smith worked for CSPD until 1989 when family life led him to accept a position with the Junction City (Kan.) Police Department. In 1993, he left law enforcement to work for private security companies in California and North Carolina, specializing in executive protection services and guarding military installations.

In 1996, he resumed his law enforcement career in the Washington County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office. By then, Feldman had become College Station’s police chief and convinced Officer Smith to return to the CSPD in 1998, where he has served with honor and distinction for 27 years.

Officer Smith has extensive family ties to the College Station area and has developed deep community bonds, leading to a high level of trust and serving as a model for what community policing can be. His ability to connect helped him mentor countless young people on the verge of entering the justice system.

Tough But Fair

I often witnessed him pull kids aside for an extended “chat” about the error of their ways. Officer Smith connects in ways others can’t, and his advice is respected because of his hard-earned reputation as a tough but fair police officer. His community ties also allow him to reach out to the families of wayward youths to get them involved. He’s a living example of what hard work and good character can achieve.

Officer Smith is committed to tough criminal enforcement, and his community ties have proven invaluable in his investigations. On multiple occasions, he used the trust he earned to apprehend wanted felons for the detective division and other agencies. He also used his contacts to locate fugitives and convince them to turn themselves in. Officer Smith also has a unique interview style, allowing him to gain confessions in cases where other skilled officers cannot. His authenticity and ability to connect often led suspects to be more forthcoming about their crimes.

Officer Smith worked hard to create relationships with other stakeholders. Thanks to his constant communication, apartment managers relied heavily upon him. He also assists the Lincoln Recreation Center staff with activities and concerns and works closely with school staff members on his beat.

Admired by His Peers

I had the privilege of being Officer Smith’s supervisor and relied on him. He was always a calming force during stressful calls, and our younger officers see him as a role model. He has trained many officers as a field training officer and mentor. It’s hard to believe he’s in his mid-60s because his physical abilities are superior to many younger officers.

One of his Medals of Honor resulted from his heroic actions during the horrific Fidelity Street active shooter incident in 2012. A tenant shot and killed a constable who was serving an eviction notice. He barricaded himself in the house and began shooting at others, killing an innocent bystander and seriously wounding another, along with several officers.

Officer Smith was among the first responding officers. Under heavy gunfire, he was pinned down for an extended period behind a car in front of the house. Despite the extreme stress and danger, he returned fire and directed the response of other officers while showing tremendous concern for nearby residents.

On multiple other occasions in his career, Officer Smith had shots fired at him and handled each incident with valor and professionalism. His vast experience made him a valuable resource for fellow officers involved in traumatic events. He regularly served as a peer counselor at the Post Critical Incident Seminar at the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas, helping officers develop coping strategies and emotional recovery after the traumatic events police officers often endure.

Officer Smith’s vast experience, dedication to improving our community’s quality of life, outstanding record of criminal enforcement, and willingness to assist other officers are unsurpassed.

Thank you, Brad, for the incredible caring, commitment, and bravery you brought to the job daily. Your legacy to our department and community will live forever.

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