Jim Smith served law enforcement and law enforcement training for more than four decades. He started his career as a Military Policeman, serving in Viet Nam MP Units in 1971-1972. In 1973 he began his formal law enforcement career with the Fair Lawn (NJ) Police Department. Then he served from 1977 the Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office moving to the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department in 1980. Then from 1988 to 1994 he served as Chief of Police for the Village of Lake Moor (IL), the Town Of Randall (WI), and the Village Of Round Lake Heights (IL).In 1994 he served with Northeast Multi-Regional Training Inc. (NEMRT)Migrating to New York in 2000 where he began his Railroad Police Service. He retired in 2017 as a Special Agent with The CSXT Railroad where he was the unit training officer and at the time of his death, was the Chief of Blackriver and Western railroad line in New Jersey. Jim was a Charter member of the American Society of Law Enforcement trainers and he was a founding Member and Advisory Board Member of the Illinois Police Instructor Trainers Association (IPITA). A Charter Member and Advisory Board Member of ILEETA and past Chairman of the Trinity of Dedication Foundation He has written several articles over the years, for publications such as Police Marksman, American Police Beat, and Police and Security News. In addition he writes regular columns for the Illinois Police Instructor Trainers Association Newsletter (IPITA), The ILEETA Use of Force Journal and the ILEETA Digest and the ILEETA Review. Currently he is host of the popular weekend radio talk show “Let’s Talk Justice America” airing every Saturday Afternoon on the Blog Talk Radio Network.  Jim’s family meant everything to him and he loved to cook and barbeque.  He would often be invited to the home of a friend and be found helping prepare the meal.  Quietly and often without notice, Jim worked tirelessly since the inception of ILEETA to help make the organization a success as was a mentor to many other trainers who continue to benefit from his professionalism and fellowship.