It was quite a “nostalgic homecoming” for John “JD” Smothers.
The veteran law enforcement officer was sworn in at last week’s Dos Palos City Council meeting as the interim police chief of the city’s police department.
City Manager Dewayne Jones said that Smothers replaces former chief Cliff Battles, who served as chief for two years and will remain with the department as a sergeant.
Smothers, 55, started his law enforcement career in Dos Palos in 1993. During his tenure where he received many assignments, one of his duties was serving on the Merced/Mariposa Narcotics Task Force.
Smothers served the city until 2001, when he left to join the Atwater Police Department. He spent 22 years at Atwater, serving as a patrol officer, narcotics agent, gang officer, detective, corporal, and sergeant.
He retired in 2023.
The interim chief said that he was “honored” to be asked to serve the city.
“It was kind of nostalgic coming back to Dos Palos after all these years,” Smothers said. “The town hasn’t changed too much, and I really enjoyed my time here. There’s a great group of people here. It’s been fun bringing up some old stories.”
After retiring from the Atwater PD, he has kept busy serving as a background investigator with the Merced County Sheriff’s Department.”
“Dos Palos asked if they could borrow me for a while to serve as the interim chief, and the Sheriff’s Department said ‘yes.’”
He added that he will also be involved in the selection of Dos Palos’ next police chief.
Jones, the city manager, said that he wants a permanent chief in place by July 1.
The Dos Palos PD currently employs five officers, two sergeants, five dispatchers and a community service officer.
