Two Promotions at the Tyler Police Department
Posted/updated on: August 16, 2013 at 2:20 am
TYLER — A promotion ceremony was held Wednesday afternoon at the Tyler Police Department. Police Chief Gary Swindle promoted Sergeant Matthew Smyser (pictured) to Lieutenant and Officer William Sinclair to Sergeant.
In May of 2002 Sergeant Matthew B. Smyser earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Texas at Tyler. He was hired by the Tyler Police Department in April of 2003. He attended the Tyler Junior College Police Academy then was assigned to the patrol division where he served as a patrol officer for approximately 5 years. As a patrol officer, he was cross-trained as an intermediate crime scene officer and attended a variety of schools, to include the Basic Rifle School, Intermediate Rifle School, Active Shooter School and the Crisis/Hostage Negotiations School. Sergeant Smyser is a TCOLE Instructor; he holds a Master Peace Officers license and is a member of the Tyler Police Department’s Honor Guard.
In January 2007 he was assigned to the Tyler Police Department’s Crime Scene Unit as a Crime Scene Investigator. He attended specialized training in crime scene/evidence processing. He received certifications in fingerprint analysis, shooting reconstruction, evidence recovery and bloodstain pattern interpretation. During this time he also participated in the Tyler Police Department’s Leadership Program. In April of 2009 he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and assigned to Night Shift patrol. Over the last 4 years Sergeant Smyser has been responsible for as many as 25 officers and routinely oversees the day-to-day operations of officers assigned to the night shift patrol. Sergeant Smyser completed the City Universitys Leadership Track and has attended several schools aimed at developing his leadership skills.
Over the last 11 years Sergeant Smyser has been awarded Plain Clothes Officer Month and Supervisor of the Month. He earned the Medal of Valor in 2006 and the 10 year safe driving pin in 2013. He was a member of the Crime Scene Unit when they unit earned Unit of the Year for 2007.
William Sinclair:
In May of 2001, Will Sinclair graduated from Chapel Hill High School and enrolled in Tyler Junior College for a semester. In January of 2002, he made the decision to serve in the United States Marine Corps for a five year enlistment. While serving in the Marine Corps Will was a Meteorological and Oceanographic Observer stationed at Marine Corps Air Station New River in Jacksonville, NC. He deployed to Kuwait and Iraq in 2003 during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
After completing his enlistment in the Marine Corps in January of 2007, he and his wife decided to move back to Tyler. Will applied for and was hired as an officer by the Tyler Police Department in May 2007. After completing the departments police academy and field training program he was assigned to the patrol division. In June of 2010 Will interviewed for and was assigned as a detective to the Departments Special Investigations Unit. In January of 2013 he returned to the Patrol Division to facilitate his wife going back to college full time.
During his career at the Tyler Police Department, Will received numerous letters of recognition and commendation while serving in the patrol officer and detective positions. He was selected as plainclothes officer of the month while assigned to the Special Investigations Unit. Will has also been awarded with a 5 year Safe Driving Bar. He holds an Intermediate Peace Officer’s License and is a member of the Tyler Patrolman’s Association.
