Police Chief Mark Smith, in Panama City since 1963 and a 1986 FSU graduate, is FSU Panama City's newest Notable Nole after more than 45 years in law enforcement.

Panama City Police Chief Mark Smith has been named an FSU Panama City Notable Nole. The honor goes to graduates of the Florida State University campus who have made outstanding contributions to the university, their communities and their professions.

The City of Panama City announced the honor on Oct. 1 in a profile of the chief. FSU Panama City started the Notable Noles tradition in 1996.

Six decades in Panama City

Smith moved to Panama City with his family in 1963 and went to school here. He began his law enforcement career in 1981 with the Panama City Beach Police Department.

His career at a glance, from the city’s profile:

  • 1981: joins the Panama City Beach Police Department
  • 1986: earns a bachelor’s degree in criminology from FSU, studying at the Panama City campus, which opened in 1982
  • 1997: retires from the Panama City Beach department as a lieutenant
  • 2004: joins the Panama City Police Department
  • 2021: sworn in as chief of police
  • 2022: earns a master’s degree in law enforcement intelligence from FSU

“Living here and having access to the school provided easy access to continue my education while advancing my career goals,” Smith said in the profile.

His work has included hundreds of child sex crime investigations and many homicide investigations, according to the city.

A family of officers

Police work runs in Smith’s family. The city said his great-grandfather was a U.S. marshal in Arizona and his grandfather spent 37 years with the Long Beach Police Department. His father worked for Bay County Sheriff Doc Daffin, and two of his older brothers also became police officers.

Lessons from Hurricane Michael

Banyon Pelham, assistant dean of applied studies at FSU Panama City, said Smith saw that Hurricane Michael exposed gaps in the community’s emergency response.

Under Smith, the department added mobile disaster equipment, according to the profile. It lists:

  • mobile living quarters
  • bathroom and shower facilities
  • kitchens
  • specialized vehicles for disaster response

FSU Panama City said the equipment was paid for with state and federal money, including from FEMA, not local funds.

Teaching the next generation

Smith has taught as an adjunct instructor at Gulf Coast State College for more than four decades. He has taught at FSU Panama City for 12 years. He credited FSU faculty members Pelham and Scott Ervin with linking his classes to the realities of modern policing.

His advice to students: “Continue through the struggles, keep moving forward through the classes,” Smith said. “The future is brighter with the knowledge and experience obtained through the educational experience.”

What it means for you

The chief of the city’s police department is one of its longest-serving local officers, with more than 45 years in law enforcement, most of it in Bay County. If you want to reach the department, our who to call at City Hall page has its non-emergency number, and our Police and Fire log collects its releases.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Panama City’s police chief?

Mark Smith, who was sworn in as chief of the Panama City Police Department in 2021. He joined the department in 2004 after a career with the Panama City Beach Police Department.

What is an FSU Panama City Notable Nole?

An honor FSU Panama City started in 1996 for alumni who have made outstanding contributions to the university, their communities and their professions.