Minneapolis Star Tribune — Being the son of a state trooper had its benefits for young Rodmen Smith ’94, the new boss of the enforcement division at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
Smith’s father, Capt. Richard Smith, was responsible for protecting three governors and their staffs. In his elementary school days, Rod played in the governor’s residence on Summit Avenue.
When then-Gov. Al Quie and First Lady Gretchen Quie traveled, they’d return with gifts for Smith and his siblings, he said. His father also forged close relationships with Gov. Wendell Anderson and Gov. Rudy Perpich before going on to head all security at the State Capitol complex.
Lt. Col. Rod Smith, who started his career as a Minneapolis cop, was promoted last month by DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr to run a $38-million-a-year department staffed by 186 conservation officers who do much more than enforce Minnesota’s fish and wildlife laws. He replaces Col. Ken Soring, who retired in December after more than 35 years with the DNR.
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Smith studied law enforcement at St. Cloud State University, but he didn’t always want to do police work. Coming out of White Bear Lake High School in 1990, he started his college career as an accounting major at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. High tuition prompted him to rethink that move, and he graduated from St. Cloud State with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and speech communication.
Read more:http://www.startribune.com/dnr-s-new-top-cop-to-push-for-improvements/369049251/
