Smith announces for Mill Hall area District Judge

LAMAR TOWNSHIP, PA – Recently retired Lock Haven City Police Chief Kristin Smith is running for election as Magisterial District Judge in Clinton County District 25-3-02. This seat will be vacated by District Judge John Maggs, who will be retiring at the end of 2023 after 24 years of service. Smith will seek both Republican and Democratic nominations.

Smith is a 1997 graduate of State College Area High School and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Administration of Justice from Penn State University in 2001. She attended the police academy at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Smith was hired as a patrol officer by the Lock Haven City Police Department in 2002. Over the course of her career with the department, Smith worked her way up the ranks, earning the titles of Corporal, Detective Sergeant, and finally Chief of Police in 2018. After 20 years of dedicated service, Smith retired from the Lock Haven City Police Department in December 2022.

As a police officer, according to her candidacy announcement, Smith gained experience and legal knowledge relevant to sitting as a District Judge. She testified at numerous trials during her career and performed police duties including conducting traffic enforcement, completing accident investigations, resolving conflicts, and writing and executing search and arrest warrants. Per her announcement release, from interacting with community members to managing officers and staff, she developed the skills and discernment needed to oversee the cases that will come before the District Court. During her career, Smith received extensive training in multiple areas, such as crime scene investigation, homicide investigation, domestic violence and sexual assault investigation, de-escalation, and forensic interviewing of children. She also received certifications in conducting electronic surveillance (Class A), the use of ENRADD speed timing devices, and standardized field sobriety testing.

Smith served on the Board of Directors for the Clinton County Housing Authority and the Clinton County Housing Coalition. For over ten years, Smith volunteered with Clinton County Police Camp Cadet where she served in the positions of Senior Counselor and Assistant Director.

Smith currently resides in Lamar Township with her family.

“I served the residents of Lock Haven for over twenty years and look forward to serving the residents of Clinton County as District Judge. I respect the way District Judge Maggs ran his court by being fair and impartial and I will continue in his tradition,” Smith said.

The 25-3-02 district covers Bald Eagle Township, Beech Creek Borough, Beech Creek Township, Greene Township, Lamar Township, Logan Township, Loganton Borough, Mill Hall Borough, and Porter Township.