The Town of Alexandria voted on a new police chief and one new officer last week during a special called meeting, filling some positions vacated by the former chief and officers last month. Both the chief and officer were set to start immediately.

At the meeting, the Alexandria Board of Mayor and Aldermen were introduced to Kenneth (K.D.) Smith of Brush Creek, who applied for the position of chief.

Smith is the former chief of the Greenbrier Police Department, has worked in law enforcement for 36 years. He told the board that he has served in five departments and worked as Police Chief for three of them.

“I started law enforcement in Mount Juliet in 1984 as a volunteer,” said Smith. “From there I went full time at Lebanon in 1986. I left there and went back to Mount Juliet in 2006. That’s when they started Providence. I worked for Mount Juliet helping them with traffic issues, and when I left in 2008, I became the Chief at the Lakewood Police Department in Davidson County until 2010. Then I came back to Lebanon for a couple of years. I then went to Westmoreland. I was the Chief there for almost three years and then I joined the Greenbrier Police Department as Chief from 2014 to 2019 when I retired.”

The board voted to approve the hire of Smith.

Veronica Dodge of Sparta, was then introduced at the meeting for the position of officer. She and her husband have one child, and live in Sparta where she worked for the White County Sheriff’s Department.

“I am a transplant from Wisconsin,” said Dodge. “I was born in California but raised in Wisconsin. My husband and I moved to Sparta about six years ago. He also works at White County. We live in Sparta with our son. He goes to school there. Most of my law enforcement is in corrections. I got certified here last October in Tennessee. I went to the police academy in Wisconsin.”

“I am excited to start with the Alexandria Police Department and help here. I like starting new programs and building them up. I did it for White County. I’m their NCIC TAC go between with the TBI. I help with TIBRS and crime reporting. I do a lot of finding and searching things, organization, talking with people, helping with courts. I wear many hats. I enjoy a challenge so this new opportunity for me here in Alexandria will be fun though it will be a lot of hard work,” said Dodge.

The board voted unanimously to hire Dodge.

Chief Smith said that until other officers are hired, he and Officer Dodge will stagger shifts. The DeKalb Sheriff’s Department will continued to patrol the western portion of the county when officers are not on duty, as they always have.