Smithville Police Chief Robert Hartman was recently awarded the 2025 Theodore S. Jones Service Award, one of the highest honors presented by the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police.
The award was presented at the 2025 Chiefs In-Service/Annual Conference in April at the Hilton Columbus Downtown, according to an announcement.
Hartman has served Smithville since 2022 and was appointed chief of police in 2023. Since stepping into the role, he has grown the department to six full-time officers and increased officer pay and benefits − key moves that helped attract stronger candidates during a challenging time for law enforcement recruitment. He also led efforts to modernize the department by adding new surveillance cameras and upgrading the evidence room to improve security and accountability.
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