Longtime D.A.R.E. officer Smail retires
FORUM FILE PHOTO
Nodaway County D.A.R.E. Officer Rick Smail offers glow stick necklaces to a one of the cutest skunks around named Maci Gladbach, 2, as she sits on her dad Blake Gladbach’s shoulders during last year’s Mozingo Haunted Campground. Smail recently retired.
MARYVILLE, Mo. — For more than 30 years there has been a constant strong presence among the youth in Maryville and Nodaway County schools. One only needs to utter the program D.A.R.E. and one image immediately comes to mind — that of Rick Smail. The longtime area law enforcement officer hung up his duty belt for the final time on Feb. 25.
“It’s bittersweet,” Smail said of retirement. “It’s great to have time, but the hard part is giving up the kids. … They are like a part of my family. I’ve formed so many relationships over the years.”
Smail helped start the program along with former longtime Maryville officer Clarence Goold in 1990 under the direction and leadership of now retired Public Safety Director Keith Wood. Since that time, as a Maryville police officer or a Nodaway County Sheriff’s deputy, Smail’s name has been synonymous with D.A.R.E. — a program that “envisions a world in which students everywhere are empowered to respect others and choose to lead lives free from violence, substance use and other dangerous behaviors.”
Maryville Police Chief Ron Christian had a front row seat to Smail’s career through the years and has seen firsthand the impact he’s had.
“Certainly, I would believe that Rick’s greatest contribution to this community during his tenure would be his positive impact on our youth,” Christian said in an email to The Forum. “Our department’s motto is ‘Committed to Community’ and Rick certainly embodied that attitude in that he had a tremendous heart and passion to make a positive impact on our youth in directing them away from being involved in substance abuse.”
Smail retired from Maryville Public Safety in December 2016.
It was then that Nodaway County Sheriff Randy Strong, elected in 2016, brought in Smail to build up the D.A.R.E. program in county schools. Strong called that decision a “no brainer.”
“I’ve watched him build that D.A.R.E. program from the ground up to where it was one of the best D.A.R.E. programs in the state of Missouri,” Strong said. “My gosh look what he’s done. It took off.”
Smail, a Maryville High School graduate, began his law enforcement career in October 1988. He didn’t envision where it would take him or the impact he would have. Nor did he imagine spending more than 30 years teaching D.A.R.E., but it is a path he would not change. He is happy that he made an impact.
“What kept me in the position was making a difference with the kids,” Smail said. “A lot of kids have great home lives, but there are kids out there that don’t. Those are the ones who sometimes cling on to you the hardest because they are missing someone to connect with. When you see a kid and as the saying goes the light bulb goes on in their head that’s a neat feeling and you know that you reached them.
“When you see all the hands flying up and bouncing in the classroom it puts you on an adrenaline high and makes you want to perform even better. When you know that you have reached a kid and what you’re teaching them makes a difference in their life it’s unique.”
Strong said that Smail’s contribution to the community, specifically the youth is immeasurable.
“He’s had such a positive impact on the youth in this community,” he said. “We will probably never know how many lives he really impacted. … Because of Rick’s presence in our rural schools we were able to save some kids from really, really horrible situations and free them from that.”
Smail has received many awards during his law enforcement career with both Maryville and Nodaway County, including the Missouri D.A.R.E. Officers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, but accolades were not what he signed up for. The motivation during his lengthy career was service.
“When you know you’ve made a difference in someone’s life who is having a bad day and you show up and help them through that that’s a neat feeling and a sense of accomplishment,” he said.
Christian said it’s that type of devotion, tenacity and commitment that distinguishes Smail’s career.
“I believe that it underscores just how much he believed in his efforts and how highly he valued the youth of our community,” he said. “He put a lot of energy and time into doing everything he could to make a positive difference in the lives of the youth he worked with.”
Smail is quick to deflect praise he receives for the success of D.A.R.E. as he said the people of Maryville and Nodaway County are the reason for its longevity.
“The community as much as anything,” he said. “There are a lot of good people here. Your neighbors will always come out and help. They’ve been very good to me and my family. You can’t say enough about our community and the support we have for each other.”
According to Strong, it’s the foundation that Smail laid in engaging community leaders to help the area youth through the annual D.A.R.E. auction that has made the area program what it is today.
“That says so much about our community that they see the same thing in our kids that Rick does,” he said. “They are our future. (The community) has made huge donations to keep this program going.”
For the first time in decades, Smail will be in the audience for the 2022 D.A.R.E. Auction scheduled for March 26, and he may even bid on a few items. The event is the biggest fundraiser for the program.
Smail won’t be riding off into the sunset since he has plenty of projects to keep him busy, but spending time with family will become a priority.
“I look forward to fishing with my grandson and going to my grandkids’ activities,” he said. “It’s time to enjoy life too and not have all the pressure. It’s going to be different — it’s time to relax.”
FORUM FILE PHOTO
Nodaway County Sheriff’s Deputy and D.A.R.E. instructor Rick Smail hands out candy to children lining the 2019 Nodaway County Fair parade route along Fourth Street.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Now retired Maryville Public Safety Sgt. Rick Smail, center, stands flanked by former MPS Director Keith Wood, left, and now Maryville Police Chief Ron Christian after accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 from the Missouri D.A.R.E. Officers Association. In addition to being honored for 25 years of service to the anti-drug abuse education program, Smail was also installed as the association’s vice president for the coming year.
FORUM FILE PHOTO
Now Maryville police officer Ian Myers, left, and retired Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office D.A.R.E. officer Rick Smail, right, are shown with Darren the D.A.R.E. lion at the 2018 D.A.R.E. Auction.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Former Sgt. Rick Smail stands with Darren the D.A.R.E. Lion at a Nodaway County school. Smail recently retired and plans to spend more time with family.
