Roy Smith enforces the law, pass interference

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Sports

February 3, 2015 - 12:00 AM

Roy Smith has been enforcing the rules for nearly 30 years now.
Drive over the speed limit, expect a ticket.
Sell narcotics, expect an arrest.
Drive reckless through the lane, expect a whistle.
Smith, 55, has been a police officer for 27 years. On the side, he has refereed football for 29 years and basketball for 16.
Smith got his start for both jobs while at Emporia State University. Originally, he had his sights on teaching, but his dad’s role as a police officer had a stronger influence than expected.
As for refereeing, that began as a student at ESU.
“I started out refereeing when I was in college, just for some extra money. I enjoyed it. I was doing it at Emporia State and knew a couple of people that were refereeing,” Smith said. “They kind of pushed me into it. After you get out of high school and college, you kind of look for something to fill the void. So, that’s why I got into refereeing.”
Smith has worked his way up to the undersheriff position in the Allen County Sheriff’s office. He started out working for the Morris County Sheriff’s Office in 1987 and moved to Neosho County in 1989. He’s been working in Allen County since 2001.
As the undersheriff, Smith’s responsibilities include managing the deputies and reviewing reports in the office. He also is the officer liaison at the drug court and will respond to radio calls.
Smith said that being a ref and being a cop have similarities.
“In law enforcement, I’m there to enforce the law,” Smith said. “In refereeing, I’m there to enforce the rules.”
Smith noted hecklers in a sports venue are definitely not as bad as dealing with a perpetrator or suspect in a crime. In fact, he doesn’t even listen to hecklers anymore.
 “Of course, my assignments are never varsity games here in Iola. I did a freshman game last week,” Smith said. “Some people know me by my first name, so I’ll hear a ‘hey, Roy!’ As for hecklers, I don’t pay much attention anymore. I kind of zone it out after so many years. My duty is to the kids on the court.”
His job as a referee also is to promote good sportsmanship and to use his judgment the games are played by the rules. That has been the same objective each and every time he steps on a field or court.
 As an officer, his job duties have changed.
“Throughout my career, I’ve worked everything from traffic to narcotics,” Smith said. “I like the county. I use to work for a city police department (Council Grove), but I like the county. This county is 505 square miles. You can get out and get in your vehicle and see stuff you haven’t seen in a long time. In a city, you’re confined to about 15 blocks. It just kind of closes in on you. Like I said, you can get out in the county and take off.”
He also drives a lot across Southeast Kansas to referee games, venturing as far north as Louisburg and as far south as Riverton and Coffeyville. He will go as far west as Eureka.
Smith said he prefers football season.
“I played high school football and enjoyed Friday nights. I still enjoy Friday nights,” he said.
The camaraderie among referees is special, he said.
“The referee who wears the white hat on my crew has worked with me for 23 years — Don Clapsaddle who lives in Chanute. There’s five of us in football that work as a crew for varsity.”
It also helps that football is once a week. During the basketball season, Smith has worked as many as six days in a row during tournament weeks. He also never works with the same people from game to game.
Smith said his days as a referee are probably coming to an end in the next few years.
He refereed in last year’s state basketball tournament and has refereed eight Shrine Bowl games.
“I have yet to do a state championship game for football. I’ve done substates and everything below, but not a state championship yet,” Smith said. “I would like to reach that goal before I get out.”
Smith said he is concerned about the cultivation of high school referees.
 “In my day and age there’s not as many people coming up. It’s going to hurt,” Smith said. “We’re probably really going to see that in the next 10 years. That’s a real shame because the younger kids in our community are the ones who are going to suffer from it.”
But, Smith is still refereeing. He is also still policing.
“I’ve enjoyed both,” Smith said.
“I’ve probably got a couple of more years left in me.”
 

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