Kelly Smith

I've been with the Pennsylvania State Police since August 2013, starting my career in patrol as a first responder for about 7 years before moving into the Office of Community Engagement in 2021. This unit was created to help bridge the gap between law enforcement and the communities we serve, and my typical day can range from serving on panels about how the state police operates to speaking to school children to working with local nonprofits. I run our Law and Leadership summer program at the Hershey site for college-age students, helping prepare them for our academy and showing them that they can see themselves in this career. Nobody in my family is in law enforcement - my degree is actually in sports medicine and exercise science from the University of Pittsburgh, and I had a friend who was a trooper tell me I should join. At first I thought he was crazy, but once I really listened, I realized I could help on a much larger scale. My role now is about having meaningful conversations and inspiring young women who often tell me they can't do this job or aren't tough enough. I always say, look at me - I'm not huge, I'm not 6 feet tall, and I'm not what you think of when you picture a trooper. It's not about how big and bad and tough you are, it's about having that heart of service and communicating with people who are calling because something bad is happening. We can be that connection to help bridge the gap. I'm also the head cross-country coach at Central Penn College since July 2025, and I'm passionate about showing that with consistency and showing up even when it's hard, you can push your boundaries and achieve greatness.