Smith began serving as the chief of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia after being unanimously confirmed by the D.C. Council on November 7, 2023.

[3] Smith was primarily raised on the east side of Pine Bluff by her mother and grandmother, Ellatrise Bass.

[3][2] She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in education from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in 1992.

[2] After college, Smith moved to New York where she worked as a seasonal park ranger at the Gateway National Recreation Area.

[4][8] She developed an organizational channel for department-wide accountability by providing strategic advice to the MPD chief of police, executive leadership, and senior management officials within the department.

[4] In addition to her DEI focus, she supervised the directorates for employee well-being and support unit and equal employment opportunity office.

[4] In April 2023, Smith was promoted to the assistant chief of police, homeland security bureau where she led the operational and administrative functions of the special operations division, joint strategic and tactical analysis command center, and the office of intelligence.

[4] In July 2023, mayor Muriel Bowser nominated Smith to serve as the MPD chief of police.