Cobb police show support for daughter of officer who died from COVID-19

Leo Tochterman, Marietta Daily Journal, Ga.
·2 min read

Jun. 2—Cobb County police turned out to support the daughter of a fallen colleague as she walked the graduation stage at North Paulding High School Friday night.

Chuck Smith, who served as an officer for both the Cobb Police Department and Cobb School District, died of COVID-19 in September 2021.

On the eight-month anniversary of her father's death, his daughter Kaylee Smith graduated from high school with honors. More than 15 Cobb officers saluted on the sidelines as she collected her diploma.

"Congratulations, Kaylee; we know your father is very proud of you. We are all very proud of you and can't wait to see where you go from here," the department wrote in a Facebook post.

Smith served 25 years before retiring from Cobb police, then served another two years with the Cobb County School District Police Department. At the time of his death, he worked as an officer at Osborne High School.

Officer Smith is survived by his daughter Kaylee, wife Kim, and son Connor.

His mother-in-law, Shirley Pattison, said the police department has stood alongside the Smith family since his death, attending ceremonies at the National Peace Officers Memorial Week in Washington, D.C., the Cobb County Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony on Marietta Square and the Georgia Public Safety Memorial Service at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth.

"Many thanks should go forward for the Cobb County Police Department and the Cobb County School Police Department for all they have done for my daughter, Kim Pattison Smith, and her two children, Connor and Kaylee Smith," Pattison said in an email to the MDJ. "His line of duty death was felt by his family, the CCPD Department, the CCSPD Department, Osborne High School, and the many residents of Cobb and Paulding counties."