Elder Bob Smith

Bob and Judy moved to Bowling Green in December 1997. Both are natives of Tampa, Florida. They met in and grew up in a Baptist Church in Tampa and were married in August 1959. They have a daughter, Donna, who along with her husband, Dennis and two children, Jonathan & Katie, are members of Living Hope. A son, Steve, lives with his family in Sterling, Colorado and are members of the Emanuel Baptist Church. All five grandchildren are believers. Bob received Christ as his Savior at age 11 and Judy at age 10. Both were baptized. During their early Christian service, they both taught in the Children’s Department. Judy later served in the Nursery. Bob directed the music and Judy sang in the choir of their home church. Prior to moving to Bowling Green, Bob served as a deacon in two Baptist Churches in Florida and was active in the establishment of “Construction for Worldwide Evangelism,” a group dedicated to reaching the lost through the construction of all types of church facilities, conducting medical, dental and other types of mission activities. The organization continues to be active on a worldwide scale using only volunteers.

Joining Living Hope in late 1998, Bob and Judy are active in an ABF Class, participate in Small Group, serve as a Greeter and Usher, participate in the Hospital Sack Lunch Program, serve on the Senior Adult Council and are active with the Prime Timer’s, and participate in various church-wide outreach and missions activities. Bob also assists with the delivery of the Commodities to Public Housing. Both believe the tithe belongs to the Lord and that one should give above the tithe as one is blessed by God.

Bob has been an active teacher in a variety of Sunday Night Seminars, is a substitute ABF teacher, participates in a men’s prayer group and the Thursday morning Men’s Studies.

Bob was employed by the Tampa Police Department from December 1960 until March 1985; rose through the ranks and was selected for Police Chief in October 1981. In 1985 he was appointed as the first Director of Public Safety, managing the Police and Fire Departments including the Paramedics and the Department of Community Affairs. He served in that capacity for ten years, retiring in March 1995.

During his tenure as Police Chief, the Tampa Police Department completed the requirements for National Accreditation and became the twelfth largest accredited department in the nation at that time.

Bob is a graduate of Saint Petersburg Junior College (AA Police Administration), University of Tampa (BA Sociology) and has taken Masters Level courses at the Universities of Tampa and South Florida. He is a graduate of the FBI National Executive Institute, Harvard University Program for Senior Executives and was one of twenty participants in the Criminal Justice Policy and Management Program sponsored by the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

Bob was appointed by four Florida Governor’s to serve on the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission, serving as its Chairman; served as Chairman of the Governor’s Drug Policy Task Force and as Chairman of Florida’s Urban Partnership Law Enforcement Committee. In Florida he served as a part-time instructor at local colleges and as guest speaker at state and national workshops and seminars and has appeared before the US Senate Judiciary Committee.

Bob was a member of the first American Law Enforcement delegation to visit the Republic of China and during the 21 day visit was an active speaker. Bob has had the direct responsibility of coordinating the security of a number of major public events, including Super Bowls XVIII and XXV.