The Michigan City Police Department would like to announce the 2019 recipient of the Chris Smith Award, Officer Lendell Hood. The Chris Smith Award was named after Officer Chris Smith who passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. Officer Chris Smith embodied the passion and love for law enforcement as well as a love for life. Each year since 2008, the Michigan City Police Department selects a recipient of this award after nominations are obtained from members of the police department.
Officer Lendell Hood is an Air Force veteran who served honorably for 10 years. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Park University located in Parkville, MO. Officer Hood currently has 14 years in law enforcement. His career started as a Gaming Agent with the Indiana Gaming Commission, then he worked as a patrol officer for the Indiana Metropolitan Police Department, and the last nine years he has spent as a patrolman and field training officer for the Michigan City Police Department.
For the last six years, Officer Hood has worked for the Michigan City Area Schools assigned to the La Porte County Career and Technical Education Center (AK Smith Career Center) as the Criminal Justice & Law Instructor. Officer Hood teaches course such as is the Introduction to Criminal Justice, Criminology, Police Operations and Criminal Justice Ethics. One of his students was just hired as a Michigan City Police Officer!
Officer Hood was nominated by his Shift II Commander, Lt. Jeff Ramion. Officer Hood is an outstanding police officer and we are very proud to have him in our Michigan City Police Department Family!
