MCPO Honors Chief Assistant Prosecutor Melanie Smith Upon Retirement
Published on April 03, 2023
After 32 years of service to Morris County, Chief Assistant Prosecutor Melanie Smith has announced her retirement. Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, First Assistant Prosecutor Maggie Calderwood, and Chief of Detectives Robert McNally honored CAP Smith for her exemplary service and expressed the gratitude of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office on her last day.
Chief Assistant Prosecutor Smith started her career with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office as a legal intern in 1994. After law school, she completed a criminal clerkship with two judges, the Honorable B. Theodore Bozonelis and the Honorable Catherine M. Langlois. In September 1997, she became an Assistant Prosecutor for Morris County, assigned to the Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment, General Investigations, Pretrial Services, and Special Services units.
Smith was promoted to Supervising Assistant Prosecutor in February 2006.With the advent of Criminal Justice Reform on January 1, 2017, Smith was selected to head the newly created Pre-Trial Services Unit and quickly became immersed in all things Bail Reform. After supervising Pretrial, she became the Supervising Assistant Prosecutor of the Special Services Unit handling Megan’s Law, Weapons Returns which included firearm permit denial appeals and Missing Persons matters.
In March 2021, Smith was promoted to Chief Assistant Prosecutor, supervising the Courts & Administration Division to include the General Investigations Unit and Pre-Trial Services, as well as the Juvenile Unit and continuing to supervise Megan’s Law, Weapons Returns, and Missing Persons. In April 2022, Smith was assigned as Chief Assistant Prosecutor of the newly-created Family Division, supervising Domestic Violence, Firearms Returns, Juvenile/Missing Persons and Bias Crimes units.
Smith holds a Bachelor of Arts double major in political science and criminal justice from the University of Delaware and a juris doctor from Seton Hall University School of Law. She is also a certified Child Interviewer through Finding Words.
First Assistant Prosecutor Calderwood said, “Melanie has worked tirelessly over her long career and her dedication to the Morris County Prosecutor’s office is truly appreciated by her fellow assistant prosecutors, detectives, support staff, victims and the law enforcement and legal community as a whole. Melanie was an inspiration for others to emulate and we were so very lucky to have benefitted from her talent and leadership. In my time spent with Melanie, she was always someone I could depend on for help and insight. While she will be missed, we thank her for all she has done and wish her and her loving family all the good things to come.”
Prosecutor Carroll said, “For decades, Melanie has been an outstanding contributor to the work of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office over her long and dedicated career. Melanie is one of the rare persons who has received the respect of personnel at every level of law enforcement in Morris County and in indeed, New Jersey. Always quick to help in any law enforcement effort, she was universally well-liked by her co-workers and was a pleasure to work with. Her career has included working in some of our most sensitive units and she excelled in every assignment. Melanie also provided leadership and guidance to our County’s police departments as they met and navigated the challenges of Criminal Justice and Bail Reform in New Jersey. Melanie will be missed and we wish her and her husband, Kevin, who himself is a retired Detective from the Roxbury Police Department, the best in all their future endeavors.”
Media inquiries concerning this press release should be directed to [email protected].
Prosecutor Robert Carroll, Chief Assistant Prosecutor Melanie Smith, First Assistant Prosecutor Maggie Calderwood, and Chief of Detectives Robert McNally.
First Assistant Prosecutor Calderwood and Chief Assistant Prosecutor Smith.
Chief Assistant Prosecutor Smith