T.J. Smith is a retired Anne Arundel County Police commander, former chief spokesman for the Baltimore Police Department and former press secretary for Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr. In October 2019, he announced his candidacy for Mayor of Baltimore.
Early life and education
Smith was born and raised in the Callaway-Garrison neighborhood of Northwest Baltimore. He lived with his grandparents, both retirees from the Baltimore’s main post office, and his mother, a long tenured Baltimore City School’s teacher. Most of his immediate family lived in the general area which meant several large family gatherings. Smith received the majority of his education through Baltimore City Public Schools attending Callaway Elementary School, Fallstaff Middle School, and Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (Poly) before completing high school at Woodlawn Senior High School just outside of Baltimore City.
Upon graduation, Smith attended Catonsville Community College. He later attended Johns Hopkins University where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in management. Smith also earned a master’s degree in strategic communication from Washington State University.
Career
In 1999, Smith joined the Anne Arundel County Police Department. He worked primarily in police and community units and later transitioned to communications. Smith held numerous positions including Chief of Staff/Executive Officer for the Chief of Police where his duties included keeping the Chief of Police advised on a multitude of topics as they relate to the agency, legislative affairs, and communications. Guided by a duty to service, Smith has earned several humanitarian and community recognition awards for his service in the community outside his day-to-day duties. He worked to begin the organization ‘TIES’, which taught young men how to tie a tie, while also providing them with professional development, job application and workforce training, and connection to leaders in the community.
Smith was also an intricate partner in the revitalization of the Pioneer City community in Anne Arundel County, which at the time faced many of the same challenges Baltimore City does today. Through a collaborative and community-focused effort, he and his colleagues were able to improve living conditions, minimize neighborhood crime, and ensure the delivery of basic services for residents of the troubled community.
It wasn’t okay to simply be the officer who enforced the law and keep people safe, Smith had a self-imposed mandate to truly care about every community he served. He took great pride in learning the issues, building long-term bonds, and helping those who need it. Smith has always been up front and honest with those he dealt with, becoming well-known throughout the region for his “tell it like it is” approach.
It’s the way he’s approached every job he’s ever had, including the one where people know him from the most: chief spokesperson for the Baltimore Police Department. During one of the most tumultuous times in Baltimore’s history, Smith was the face and voice you saw on TV each night. He has always spoken about the true need for a holistic approach beyond law enforcement to address the systemic community woes that urban centers have faced for decades.
Smith was recruited to the Baltimore Police Department just after the riots and during a tumultuous time in policing nationwide. Baltimore was awaiting the trials of the six officers accused in the death of Freddie Gray, they were under a federal probe which turned into a consent decree, murders and violence skyrocketed to historic levels, and several officers were charged in the unprecedented Gun Trace Task Force corruption scandal.
Smith was not only a source of information, calm, and resilience for Baltimore as we experienced grief and anger, he was also part of the solution. He prioritized facts, dealt in empathy, and was instrumental in the agency’s adoption and rollout of body-worn cameras.
But that’s how he’s always been with the community. It was never about shielding people; it was about involving people. Smith became regarded as a national leader in law enforcement online engagement, beginning when he was one of the first law enforcement officials to livestream press conferences on social media. He developed an app for the agency, created a new text messaging method for delivering tips, and hosted a radio show dedicated to discussing cold cases.
In July of 2017, Smith experienced a heartbreaking loss. His younger brother Dion was shot and killed inside his own West Baltimore home. When he speaks about trauma, it’s not a buzzword. It’s nothing new, because he has been talking for years about needing to address the trauma facing our families. He understands it because he lived it. But he also transformed tragedy into purpose; a purpose he hopes can touch the countless victims of gun violence in Baltimore.
Since his loss, he has become involved with organizations that help those left behind after a tragedy – including MOMS (Moms of Murdered Sons), Moms Demand Action, and Tears of a Mother’s Cry. He’s an advocate for those in despair, an advocate for those looking for justice and, most importantly, an advocate for hope, change.
Smith left the Baltimore Police Department in October of 2018. He assumed a new role as part of newly elected Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr.’s senior staff as press secretary. Smith left that role in October of 2019 to pursue his mayoral run.
Smith has spoken to groups nationally and internationally. He has been a featured/keynote speaker and host for marketing groups, public relations groups, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Axon, National Information Officers Association, colleges and universities, and more.
Mayoral Run
On October 29, 2019, Smith announced his long speculated candidacy for Mayor of Baltimore at the corner of Lafayette Ave. and Argyle Ave. in West Baltimore with his brother’s residence in the background.
Smith, a political newcomer, was considered a longshot to secure the April 28, 2020 primary victory in the Mayoral race. Amongst the top tier contenders, Smith raised significantly less money than the other candidates, but he surged to first in the polls a month before the election. The top six candidates included a current mayor, a former mayor, a current city council president, a former deputy attorney general and political candidate, and a millionaire business woman.
During this critical time in the race, the Covid 19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic made its way to the United States. The Governor of Maryland issued a stay-at-home order and moved the April primary election to June 2, 2020.
This had a significant impact on Smith’s candidacy, as he was known as a grassroots candidate where his strength lied in meeting people. He resorted to updating people using his social media, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
On June 3, 2020, Smith conceded the primary election after falling behind in the polls during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Post Mayoral Run and COVID-19 Pandemic
Smith works as a government, law enforcement, leadership, and communications consultant since leaving the mayoral race. He has made multiple media appearances discussing some of the current issues across the country and their potential local impact. Smith provides counsel and direction for a number of political candidates as well.
In January of 2021 during the continued Covid19 pandemic and the restrictions that followed, Smith teamed up with Jimmy’s Famous Seafood owner, John Minadakis. Minadakis founded the Famous Fund. The fund was created to assist struggling small restaurants in the city of Baltimore that were having ongoing challenges because of the continued shutdowns and restrictions. Minadakis tapped Smith to run the day to day operations with two other board members. Within a week, the Fund raised over $100,000 and set its sights on more. They teamed up with former Baltimore Ravens player Matt Stover and his Players Philanthropy Fund to operate under them as a non profit organization.
Donations swelled to nearly $500,000. To date, more than 30 restaurants have received funding. NBC’s Today Show did a feature piece on the Famous Fund and some of the restaurants who have received support. Celebrities and notable Baltimoreans, including Smith, have “made the calls” to surprise the recipients of their awards.
Smith continues to manage the day to day operations as the fund continues to assist local restaurants and entertainment venues. He is also the host of a local podcast that was started with a local news station to focus on various topics in and around Baltimore as well as solutions to problems.
Smith has appeared in documentaries and television shows as an analyst.
Personal Life
Smith resides in Northwest Baltimore where he enjoys spending time with his young son.
