Chief Pam Smith joined the Punta Gorda Police Department on January 2, 2018. She has over 34 years of law enforcement experience. Just prior to beginning with the Punta Gorda Police Department, she served as the Director of the Professional Development and Training Academy for the Baltimore Police Department.
In 2016, Chief Smith retired from the Anne Arundel County, Maryland Police Department where she rose within the Department to achieve the rank of Deputy Chief. As the second in command, she led the Department’s three bureaus consisting of just over 700 sworn personnel and 240 professional staff.
Chief Smith had the opportunity to complete a prestigious year-long fellowship in 2015 with the Police Executive Research Forum in Washington, D.C., gaining national experience on best practices in law enforcement. She is a graduate of both the F.B.I. National Academy and the Police Executive Research Forum, “Senior Management Institute for Policing.” She holds a Master’s Degree in Management from the Johns Hopkins University.
Chief Smith serves as the President of the Southwest Florida Police Chiefs Association, President of Do the Right Thing Charlotte County, Chairperson of the Florida Region X Training Council, Florida Police Chiefs Association Professional Standards Committee member, Vice Chair of Drug Free Charlotte County, Board Member for Drug Free Punta Gorda, and is a member of the Commission for Law Enforcement Accreditation. She was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis to serve on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission on July 7, 2023. Chief Smith was awarded the 2020 Chief Executive of the Year by the Southwest Florida Police Chiefs Association and the 2019 National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Law Enforcement Commendation Medal.