Donald B . Smith Donald Blaine Smith is the 53rd Sheriff of Putnam County , New York and a retired United States Army General . He is a lifelong registered member of the Republican Party , and was first elected Sheriff on November 6 , 2001 . He assumed the duties of Putnam County Sheriff on January 1 , 2002 . Immediately prior to becoming the Sheriff of Putnam County , he had served as the Deputy County Executive of Putnam County . He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point , and also earned a Master of Science in Systems Management from the University of Southern California . Smith is also a graduate of the U . S . Army Command and General Staff College and was a Fellow at the National Defense University . His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal , the Defense Superior Service Medal , the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters , the Bronze Star , the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters , and the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster . Military Career and Background . Sheriff Don Smith was born in Danbury , Connecticut , and grew up in Patterson , New York . His father , Donald B . Smith , was an eight - term Town supervisor of Patterson and one the first advocates for the creation of a County Executive ' s office and County Legislature in Putnam County . The younger Smith attended the New York Military Academy at Cornwall - on - the - Hudson , New York and graduated in 1965 . He then attended the United States Military Academy at West Point , graduating in June 1969 with a Bachelor of Science Degree and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Armor . During his company grade years he served as a Platoon Leader , Company Executive Officer , Cavalry Troop Commander , Instructor , and Company Tactical Officer in a variety of assignments at Fort Ord , California ; Fort Knox , Kentucky ; West Point , New York ; and in the Republic of Vietnam . His tour in Vietnam included service as both a Platoon Leader and Troop Commander in C Troop , 1st Squadron , 10th Cavalry . Following graduation from the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas , Smith was assigned for duty in the U . S . Army Europe , where he spent six years in the 8th Infantry Division ( Mechanized ) . While assigned to the Pathfinder Division , he served as Battalion Executive Officer , Deputy G1 , Division G1 , Battalion Commander , and Division Inspector General . General Smith ' s command tour with the Division was in Mainz - Gonsenheim , Germany , where he commanded the 4th Battalion , 69th Armor from 1982 to 1984 . Brigadier General Donald B . Smith ( RET ) After his tour in Europe , Smith returned to the United States where he attended Senior Service College as a fellow at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at the National Defense University in Washington , D . C . After graduating in 1986 , he was assigned as the Chief of Armor Branch , followed by service as the Combat Arms Division Chief , both within the Officer Personnel Management Directorate of the Army ' s Personnel Command . He commanded the 194th Separate Armored Brigade at Fort Knox , Kentucky , from August 1989 to August 1991 . Following Brigade Command , Smith served as Deputy Director of Personnel Support Policy and Services in the Office of the Secretary of Defense from September 1991 until September 1993 . His final assignment on active duty was with the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood , Texas , serving as the Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver through November 1994 , followed by service as the Assistant Division Commander for Support . From 1993 through 1996 , Smith also performed the major additional duty of Chief of the United States Delegation to the ( CISM ) , a world organization consisting of 113 member nations who promote world peace by sponsoring military sports world championships . He served on the Executive Committee of this international organization and also was the President of its Permanent Commission for Information and Public Relations from 1994 through 1996 . Smith served as the Chief of Delegation and Chief of Mission for the United States at the First Military World Games in Rome , Italy , in September 1995 . Putnam County Sheriff . On January 1 , 2002 , Smith became the 53rd Sheriff of Putnam County . In 2005 he ran unopposed and was reelected Sheriff . Smith was re - elected as Sheriff in 2009 . He was endorsed by the Republican , Independent , and Conservative parties in 2009 and beat out three opponents , two in the primary and two in the general election . In 2012 Sheriff Smith was elected by his Sheriff peers to serve as the President of the New York State Sheriff ' s Association ( NYSSA ) . He has garnered national attention throughout the United States and the world and especially in the Hudson Valley and throughout New York State for his leadership in making Putnam County , New York the safest counties within New York State and the safest county in the Hudson Valley . Under Smith , the overall crime rate is the lowest in New York State in 2010 , 2011 , and 2012 and the only county with the most consistent lowest crime rates over his past 12 years that he has been the Putnam County Sheriff . Smith was re - elect to his fourth term as Sheriff in 2009 . On September 10 , 2013 , Smith won the Republican , Conservative and Independence Party primaries and in effect secured his 4th term as Sheriff . Personal . In addition to his duties as sheriff , he is also the Chairman and President of the American Security Council Foundation , and is a senior fellow at the Center for Advanced Defense Studies . Smith served as the President of the New York State Sheriff ' s Association from 2012 to 2013 Smith is also the most recent former President of the Westchester / Putnam Boy Scout Council . Sheriff Don Smith recently completed a one year term as the President of the New York State Sheriff ' s Association ( NYSSA ) . Sheriff Don Smith is an outspoken advocate for the United States Constitution , most specifically the 2nd Amendment ' s Right to Bear Arms . He married Jane Powell in 1972 , and they have two children and seven grandchildren . Sheriff Don Smith has brought together all of law enforcement at the national , state , region and within Putnam County to share information , resources and credit for making Putnam County a safe place to live , work and raise a family . His leadership efforts has made Putnam County designated as the safest County in New York State . Source : NY DJCS 2010 , 2011 , 2012 Index Crime Statistics . References . http : / / www . putnamcountyny . com / boe / vote / results . htm http : / / www . putnamcountyny . com / boe / hist / index . htm