The Smith County Sheriff's Department was established in 1846, with the establishment of Smith County.

Smith County Sheriff J.B. Smith took office on January 1st, 1977 and currently in his sixth term. The Smith County Sheriff's Department has grown from approximately 28 employees in 1977 to approximately 250 today. This includes almost 150 detention personnel, 35 patrol personnel, 17 investigative personnel, and other non-sworn personnel.

The Smith County Sheriff's Department also has a Reserve Deputy force of approximately 70 certified officers that perform law enforcement duties at no cost to the citizens of Smith County.

The Smith County Sheriff's Department responds to calls for service and investigates criminal offenses that occur in the unincorporated areas of Smith County. They also assist police departments for the cities of Arp, Bullard, Lindale, Overton, Troup, Tyler, and Whitehouse. The Smith County Sheriff's Department also maintains four detention facilities, handles security for the county courthouse and tax building, and a 150 acre "work farm."

J.B. Smith has been continuously elected Sheriff of Smith County, Tyler, Texas since 1976. He is presently in his 6th term in office. He is a graduate of the National F.B.I. Academy, Tyler Junior College, and the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. He supervises over 250 employees and the 10th largest jail in the state of Texas. Due to the outstanding investigative work of his employees, the Sheriff has appeared on CNN Live with Larry King, the C.B.S. Evening News with Dan Rather, and the N.B.C. Nightly News with Tom Brokaw.

His department was also featured in A.B.C.'s Primetime Live, for its investigation of a high profile murder case. Sheriff J.B. Smith is Chairman of the East Texas Drug Enforcement Task Force, which ranks 2nd in the nation. He co-founded the Northeast Texas Sheriff's Associaton and serves as Chairman. Currently, he holds the position of President of the Smith County Peace Officer's Association for the second time. Sheriff Smith was also recently elected as "3rd Vice-President" of the Sheriff's Association of Texas.