By Bill Carey
Police1
CAMDEN, Ark. — Arkansas’ oldest police officer signed his retirement papers this week, ending an almost 65-year career.
When L.C. “Buckshot” Smith started working at the Camden Police Department, he said he worked for free at first, KARK reported. Eventually, Smith went to the Ouachita County Sheriff’s Office, where he retired at age 81. A few months later, the Camden police chief asked him to come back.
“They said I had too much knowledge, history and understanding to let it die,” Smith said.
Between patrols and escorting bus routes or funeral processions, Smith spent his last days in law enforcement mentoring younger officers.
But after a fall several weeks ago, an old injury had caught up to Smith: “I woke up. I couldn’t walk. That’s when I made the decision to retire.”
Smith will be turning 94 in May. He shared one secret on how to live a long, healthy life: “Eat a lot of vegetables and don’t eat too much fast food.”