Tim Cotton
District Attorney

 

Frank Smith grew up in Adams County. Following high school, Frank joined the United States Marine Corps in 1984. He served seven years, most of which were overseas. ​In 1991, Frank joined the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, where he’s worked for the past 32 years. He worked briefly in the jail before attending the Harrison County Law Enforcement Training Academy to become a certified law enforcement officer. ​After being assigned as a patrol deputy, Frank later graduated from the US K9 Unlimited Academy as a K9 handler. They assigned him to the Metro Narcotics Unit as the Interdiction Unit, where he handled many large drug seizures, which were prosecuted on the State and federal level. 

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At the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Frank served in various positions, including Narcotics Investigator, Metro Narcotics Commander, Patrol Supervisor, HEAT Unit Commander, and SRT Unit Commander. He also helped implement policy and procedures within the department to improve departments’ operations and limit liability by implementing standards of Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA®). Most recently, he served as the Commander of the Criminal Investigation Division, which includes Digital Forensic Unit, Sex Offender Registry and Victim Advocacy. 

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Frank is a State of Mississippi Certified Instructor with extensive experience in criminal and narcotics investigations. Frank is a Certified Human Trafficking Investigator and completed the Mississippi Certified Investigator Program CIP (400 hours). He holds certifications in advanced interrogation, social media investigations, statement analysis, and leadership development, among many others. He is also an Active Shooter Instructor teaching schools, churches, and businesses proper response to active shooter situations. 

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Aside from his law enforcement career, Frank enjoys spending time with his wife, Stephanie, their children, and grandchildren.