For the second time in less than a year, thousands of people from across the state and around the country stepped up to honor a Henry County police officer killed in the line of duty.
Michael Smith, 33, was laid to rest January 3, shortly after his death and four weeks after he was shot while responding to a call about an irate man at an area dental office.
The sanctuary at Glen Haven Baptist Church in McDonough was filled to capacity for the service, with the vast majority of those in attendance being law enforcement personnel. More than 200 law enforcement vehicles were included in the procession to the cemetery.
Bart Stone, Smith’s pastor at Momentum Christian Church who officiated at the service, noted those who came out by saying, “At times like this, you don’t remember what was said. You remember who was there.” He also pointed out that an officer was with Smith at all times during his hospital stay.
Harris Blackwood, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, read a statement from Gov. Nathan Deal.
“Sandra joins me in conveying our deepest sympathies for the tragic loss of Officer Michael Smith,” he read. “On behalf of a grateful state, I hope you find strength during this difficult time by remembering the joy he brought to the lives of everyone he knew, and by reflecting on his lifetime commitment to public safety.”
Henry County Police Chief Mark Amerman told Smith’s family and other attendees that he had received condolence calls from police chiefs all over Georgia as well as Gov.-Elect Brian Kemp and the director of the FBI.
While many people are calling Smith a hero for his actions during the incident that led to his death, Amerman said that Smith became a hero the day he took the oath to serve and protect the community where he grew up.
“Most people like to think a person would risk a life for a spouse or children, but a police officer does it for complete strangers,” said Amerman. “That’s what Michael did on that December day.”
During the service he directed the public safety personnel in the audience to stand, illustrating how strong the turnout was to honor Smith.
Amerman became emotional more than once during his remarks, choking up as he concluded by reading these words from the New Testament book of Matthew, spoken by Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”
The service was live-streamed on Glen Haven’s Facebook page, where it has been viewed more than 34,000 times. Glen Haven also made its facility available last February for the funeral of Chase Maddox, a Locust Grove police officer who was killed in the line of duty. Maddox’s widow told another local media outlet that the her husband had once worked with Smith on the same call.
Hundreds of people lined the streets as the funeral procession made its way from Cannon Cleveland Funeral Home to the church, then after the service as it wound through McDonough and on to the cemetery. Many of the bystanders waved small American flags distributed throughout the week by Cannon Cleveland, which handled the arrangements for Smith’s family and hosted scores of people at its own facility as they came through on a cold and rainy week to pay their respects.
Upon his death Dec. 28, Smith became the sixth officer in Georgia killed in the line of duty in 2018. He is survived by his wife and son in addition to his parents and a brother.
Donations are still being accepted on his family’s behalf. The official donation account is through The Southern Credit Union and donations can be dropped off at the McDonough location at 2097 Highway 20 West. The police department is also accepting donations at its precinct offices at 108 S. Zack Hinton Pkwy. in McDonough and 4545 N. Henry Blvd. in Stockbridge.
Donations can be made by mail, with checks made out to the Officer Smith Fund at The Southern Credit Union, Attn: Officer Smith Fund, P.O. Box 1509, Fayetteville, GA 30214.
A GoFundMe campaign was created with a goal of $20,000. It had raised nearly $35,000 as of Sunday night.
