Former DC police officer turned author Irene Reyes-Smith | The Good Word

I'm Tisha Lewis and this is The Good Word. We love that you are watching. For those joining us for the first time, welcome. And for The Good Word family returning, welcome back to your dose of faith and inspiration and The Good Word. Today we are talking with Irene Reyes-Smith, a retired police officer, woman of faith and author of Surviving the Badge and many more books. She's sharing her journey through it all with us right here on The Good Word. Irene is also a familiar face here at Fox 5 DC. Thank you so much for joining us. for being with us welcome thank you for having me yes i'm so glad we were finally able to make this happen it's been in the works for a little bit absolutely what a journey you have you are a retired police officer truancy officer at that encountering young people from then that moment in time until now what comes to mind concerning the challenges that young people are facing What comes to mind is society, the things that they're dealing with, family life. And, you know, just a lot of young people are raising themselves now. You know, parents have to work several hours, multiple jobs. So that's what comes to mind when you talk about young people. What do you notice as the biggest difference from when you were on the front lines of policing to now retired, observing? Absolutely. What I'm noticing now, some things have changed, but not many. we still have a truancy issue. When I talk back to some of my fellow co-workers that, you know, some kids are still struggling. So it takes a collaboration of community, really, to fix this issue when it comes to truancy. You brought up a good point regarding the truancy issue. And it's not just unique to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, also known as the DMV. It's happening across the country. And even, you know, we talk about when the groups gather of teens and sometimes some of them cause some chaos that also is happening across the country. And often we hear people say, well, it starts at home. Yes, absolutely. But does it? Because if mom and dad don't have the resources that they need to be whole and full and well, what's being poured into our teens, our young people? What I noticed when I was doing Truancy, sometimes it just takes a conversation. There's several kids that they're reaching out for help. They're reaching out, you know, just to have someone to talk to them. Good example. We were at a CVS one time and the kids, they were stealing because they were hungry. We talked to the manager of the CVS. He allowed them to come back instead of us arresting them. He allowed them to come back to work off the debt of the items that they took. So sometimes it just takes a conversation. It takes a collaboration of the community of everybody. So, you know, not all these kids are bad. It just takes some effort, some time to deal with them. That's incredible. And I think that that is a testament to when you have policing and the community coming together. Absolutely. Absolutely. Which is so important, especially in a major city like D.C. and so many other major cities across the country. Yes. Yes. And so many kids, they're hurting. And not that they're bad kids. They're just hurting. They're looking for love. They're looking for structure. And some of them don't have that at home. So by us doing truancy, it was like a gateway to kind of really like bridge the gap between these youth and the community and the police department. And you're speaking from personal experience. Yes. Having been a police officer. Yes. And then also having navigated one of the most challenging moments of your law enforcement career and even your life. Tell us about that absolutely so I just believe that you know God puts us in situations where sometimes we don't understand why we're there but me being in truancy not just dealing with truancy with individuals on the street but I had to deal with it with my own son so sometimes you know we're dealing with other people's kids when our kids you know sometimes doing the same thing so I had to deal with it with my own son you know making sure he was up for school making sure he was getting there on time. So me going through it, I was able to assist these parents with that same situation. And when you talk about dealing it with your own son, your own loved one in your own home, you had to turn your own son in. Yes, absolutely. There were times when my son may be in law enforcement and, you know, my son decided that he wanted to do things on the other side of the law. So there was a situation where I had to turn my own son in. And yes, it hurt. It hurt. But you know I believe that it was the right thing to do and you know God sustained me through it all and you know I stood on his word and you know we came out of it all right what was that moment like for you oh it was terrifying Tisha it was terrifying you know just to think that here I am helping other families with their children and you know here I have my own son you know doing things on the other side with me being in law enforcement but you know it was a time when I had to really pray about it and the Lord spoke and I had to do it because it was the only way he was going to learn it was on the way but I knew that through it all God was going to keep him absolutely but what was the response from other family members your colleagues your friends um you know some of them understood and you know some of them of course I got some opposition and some of them was like Irene you know I believe that saved his life because we just never know the outcome but of course, God knows. So I had to take that step, you know, and do it. And yeah, he was a little bitter at first. He was like, Ma, you for real? I'm like, yes, I am for real. So, you know, but we got through it and, you know, we talked about it and he understood. We've even seen stories right here in the DMV where there are parents who are begging for law enforcement help with their children because they're so spiraling out of control yes yes yes and what I've learned you know when I was in law enforcement these houses that we went to we were able to give some parents you know the resources to help their children but then there were some issues where they wanted to know had the child already been arrested and to me I don't think that that's a good um that that's a good thing you know because your child shouldn't have to be arrested in order to get the help that they need. There should be some preventative measures, you know, to help these young people to be successful in society and in life. We're going to talk more about this, but you're also a woman of faith. Yes. How does that guide your journey? Oh, let me tell you, standing on the word of God is the most valuable thing and the most valuable piece of your life that you can have because God's word is what sustained me throughout my whole 30 year career as being law enforcement. It really helps because when you feel like you're alone, when you feel like you're the only one that's going through situations with your kids, it's God's word that sustains you. He said he would never leave you nor forsake you. And the prayers of the righteous availeth much. So yes. Let the church say amen. Absolutely. Amen. Amen. Incredible conversation happening. You've encountered countless young people before you retired from the police force. What advice do you have for parents of troubled teenagers, especially as a woman of faith? Yes, yes. The advice that I have for parents as a woman of faith, trust, keep trusting in God and keep believing and do not give up on your children, regardless of what they're going through. Do not give up on them you know be there when they're right be there when they're wrong and you know just allow them to know that you are there for them never ever as a never never give up on your children what is the solution when you see what's happening especially for young people what would you say is the solution we've heard it starts in the home we've heard that more resources are needed we've heard that mental health help is needed what else um i just believe that um conversation is key communication. Communication is key with these young people because we're living in a different society now. You have so much social media. Now you have AI, you have ChatGPT. So it's about communication. You have to talk with your children. Don't just give them these phones and these laptops and not be involved. You have to talk with them and find out what's going on with them. Some of them are being bullied, you know, and as you were saying, you know, we just have to be there it takes advice it does it really really does you were holding some books yes yes your book is called surviving the badge yes you have two other books the badge and women in blue what inspired you to write actually um I never thought about becoming an author or writing because um you know I just thought well it wasn't what I thought it was you know the enemy was in my head saying like nobody's gonna read that people are gonna ridicule you nobody cares what you have to say but it was actually one of my god sisters that actually inspired me after I saw her book so that's what actually inspired me and it was just um once I started writing it was like a weight that came off of me so it was almost like God wanted me to write this to let people know you know to be transparent that you know you're not the only one that is going through things I'm just the voice piece that's speaking about it so it was therapeutic for you yes and helpful for you as much as your books may help others. Absolutely. Tell me which chapter resonates with you the most. Which chapter was your favorite chapter to write? I would say Surviving the Badge. That was really good because it talked about my journey in the police department. It talks about my son. And I know a lot of parents, be it you in law enforcement, be it you in politics, whatever gender of you know workforce that you're in you know we all deal with something when it comes to our children it might not be all bad but we all deal with something so that was this was the book that really resonated with me and let me also ask because you wear so many different hats what was it like being a police officer a black police officer a black female police officer a black female police officer who is a woman of faith a black female police officer who's a woman of faith and a mother and a wife what was it like navigating all of that it was a lot and that's actually what inspired me to write the women in blue book this book it speaks um emotional mental physical um because that was a male dominant profession and you're dealing with males all the time. And, you know, I had one incident with a sergeant and, you know, he made some derogatory statements about, you know, you women, you come on this job, you just want to get pregnant, work inside. And, you know, that's not always the case. You know, you have a lot of hardworking women in police department and women are the go-to where you could calm a situation. you can get a situation de-escalate also known as de-escalating the situation absolutely absolutely so that is what inspired me to write this book and we did a 14-day devotion in the back of the book but yeah women women we get it done we get it done we get it done and you said you know back then it was a male-dominated field it still is it still is it still is and women are still today trying to navigate through the police department and doing their best and doing what they can do but you know they need the women for the de-escalation you know calm situations and women are going to get the job done how can police improve police and community relations interaction that's a good one i mean you know it's going to take more i suspect than the once a year what's it called? National Night Out. National Night Out. Yes, my brain froze for a second. It's going to take more than that. Yes. What does it take? Yes, so that was the other reason for me writing The Badge. This book speaks on the ins and outs of the police department, the good, the bad. What do you see when you see an officer? And what it's going to take, it's going to take more collaboration. The police department is going to have to let the community know that they are there to assist the citizens of whichever department they work for in the DMV area. Have you, have we made strides based on your experience and what you experienced then and what you see now? Has progress been made? There has been some progress and I believe that they still need a little more progress to go on because sometimes, you know, you do get caught up in going from call to call to call. And sometimes you don't have that time to take to find out what the citizens need what is actually going on because it's about calls for service but sometimes it just takes that extra time to find out what is going on with that family and if i can find out what's going on with that family at that particular time and not have to come back then your job is done wow your job wow job well done job well done you have the badge surviving the badge women in blue who are these books dedicated to oh pretty much everybody the youth women men community it's about a collaboration of everybody i speak to different things in each book where everybody can pull from and glean from and you're coming from a faith-based absolutely premise absolutely but what about folks who are not on this faith-based journey you know i like to think we have something for everyone What would be your message to them? My message to them would be, you know, to trust, get with somebody that you know, you know, has your best interest, that they have your back, you know, and you can, you know, do that in community, even your family, you know, just talking to individuals, you know, and you can get to that point where, you know, your faith will start progressing do you think that uh the way police are viewed even has improved is it is it improving is it getting worse or is it the same i think it's improving in a sense um because now you're getting younger officers um because there's such a lack of trust seemingly between the police community and the actual community it is it really is and I just think that you really have to be you know transparent with the transparent with the community when you go to these calls when you go to these things you have to try to help the individual you know where they are and then give them the resources that they need and let them know that it's not just about coming and locking somebody up all the time sometimes it's a conversation, you know, sometimes is, you know, how can we help you? So there's no rule that when a cop gets called, somebody has to go. No, there's no rule. It's based on facts, based on the law, based on the circumstances. And that's really what it's based on. Yeah. And, you know, in terms of, you know, building or rebuilding that trust that has been lost in some communities, how much damage does a bad actor do sometimes it takes a lot and matter of fact i can go back to when we had the dirty dozen i was working at that time and majority of them were from my district and two of them were actually like my partners so it it took a long time it took a long time and we really had to like work hard communicate and let the citizens know look yeah you do have some bad apples but it's not the whole department you know and sometimes I just believe that some of that behavior it's already in the individual now they just wear the uniform I took a quick look at you're surviving the badge book and on one of the first pages you say saving your son protecting the community you did both yes absolutely how did you do both at the same time it was hard let me tell you something it was hard because the thing was my son he just at the time he would not listen and I'm like what is it gonna take so when I got word of what was going on with him and I had to turn him in, that was me saving my son, you know, from the system, from society, from the crowd he was hanging with. That was me saving my son while protecting my community, while upholding the oath that I took. And let me ask you right now, fast forward all these years, how is your relationship with your son right now today? It's amazing. It's amazing. He was, you know like I said a little bitter at first you know a little upset with me but he said mom you know what I thank you he said because you was telling me and I should have listened so he said I thank you he said I thank you tough love what does the bible say spare the rod spoil the child spoil the child yes for the child and one thing I'm gonna say Tisha when God has his hand on you there is nothing that no one can do and you know a prophet prophesied that to me about my son he said the lord is gonna keep your son and protect him he said but the devil wants him but god wants him to surrender god wants him to surrender so these are things that i had to tell my son i'm like god has his hand on you but you have to surrender to the lord wow wow wow to the Lord. Wow. Yes. So everybody that comes in the good word, we always ask them this question for folks who are watching or listening. You're familiar with what I'm about to ask Irene next. And that is what is the good word? The good word is the word of God. You have to trust. You have to keep believing no matter your situation or circumstance. Keep going. As my a co-pastor will say, take another stab at it, but you have to keep going because God is good. In the end, God is good. He never fails and his word never comes back void. I love it. Yes. And my co-pastor, she's talking about co-pastor Susie C. Owens from Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church. For people who are familiar with the good word, you know, I grew up in that church. Irene, that's your church home as well. Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church in DC led by Bishop Alfred Owens and Co-Pastor Susie C. Owens, and also Rodney Carter and his lovely family now. Irene, oh my goodness, you know, so incredible. I feel like there's so much more that we could unpack here. But again, you have three books. One is Surviving the Badge. The other is The Badge. And the other one is Women in Blue. Before we let you go, I just want to ask you really quickly, what was the response from the law enforcement community when you wrote these books? Because I know sometimes, like so many industries, it can be very tight knit and you're supposed to keep dirty laundry packed away in the closet. But, you know, what was the response from the men and women in rank and file? Yeah. I really didn't get like a lot of pushback because I really talked a lot about my journey, you know, on the police department. And a lot of it was my experiences you know my struggles you know what I had to go through so you know a lot of people commended me you know some of them was like oh Irene you know I got to get the book so I can read it but a lot of them they really commended me and they were like Irene we never knew that you were going through all of that you know and it was like your book really blessed me so a lot of people really blessed them and then even with the women in blue with the 14-day devotional that we have in the back of the book, a lot of people said it really had them thinking, you know, about where their life was going and, you know, what things they could change in their life. Wow. Yeah. And what about the people who didn't like it? What'd they say? Really quick. I didn't hear about too many of them. I didn't hear the haters. But I'm going to say one thing, Tisha. When I went in prayer about these books, the Lord said, Irene, write the books as I give them to you and you will be blessed. Wow. You'll be blessed. Write the vision. Yes. And make it plain. I love it. Irene Reyes Smith, retired police officer. Thank you so much for joining us on The Good Word. Thank you for having me. Absolutely. We are on demand on Fox Local Sundays at 10 a.m. and on Fox Soul Wednesdays through Sundays. Check your local listings. I'm Tisha Lewis. Thank you for watching The Good Word. Until next time.