Jeff Smith Brings Experience to the Job as Director of Campus Safety and Security at NGU
Posted on: January 10, 2023
Jeff Smith (’21) spent more than 28 years with the Greer Police Department.
Tigerville, S.C. (January 10, 2023) Over the course of a 28-year career in law enforcement, Jeff Smith served in a variety of roles. From Traffic Team Corporal to Sergeant of Community Policing, Smith spent time working on the crisis intervention team, emergency response team and criminal apprehension team at the Greer Police Department.
Now the Director of Campus Safety and Security at North Greenville University (NGU), Smith believes his experience in the field will help him be successful in his new role.
“My goal is to be morally, ethically and legally pure. If we can work under those three umbrellas, we’re doing things right,” he said. “I want to take something I believe is good and make it better. I want us to have a professional image and conduct ourselves with respect and empathy to others. We have a commitment to community.”
Smith retired from the Greer Police Department in 2022, joining NGU in November. As the Director of Campus Safety and Security, he oversees daily operations and special events at the university.
“God blessed me with this position,” Smith said. “His timing is perfect and he opened this door for me.”
Smith said he continues to prioritize relationship building and community involvement.
“I’ve always been about building relationships,” he said. “We don’t want to be simply riding around in patrol cars thinking that we’re doing good. You have to park those patrol cars, get out and mingle with students and staff. You don’t build relationships from a cruiser. You have to get to know people to understand what their needs are.
“Yes, we have to enforce standards and regulations, but I don’t want that to be all the students, staff and visitors see us doing,” Smith continued. “I want them to see us being involved in these students lives and treating people fairly across the board.”
Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from NGU in 2021.
About North Greenville University
NGU offers more than 125 areas of study across certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and early college opportunities. Online. In-person. At our main campus in Tigerville, SC, the Tim Brashier Campus in Greer, SC, or several educational centers around the U.S. One university, many locations. Every day. Epic. Learn more
