In 1986, working as a Louisiana State Trooper, I was shot in
the face and blinded in the line of duty. As a result of my shooting
and the aftermath of trauma, I realized the need for law enforcement
officers to have assistance in dealing with post trauma. In 2001,
I founded and currently serve as the Director of FORTE (Foundation
for Officers Recovering from Traumatic Events). My primary goal
is to provide training and counseling for law enforcement, fire
fighters, emergency services personnel, and their families going
through various traumatic events. Based on my education and experience,
I have become a renowned author and speaker, providing training
and motivating people to overcome adversity. I have spoken in
every major city across the United States and in several countries
abroad. I average approximately 150 speaking engagements yearly
and have addressed over one million people in my career.
Bobby Smith, a retired Louisiana State Trooper, is a recognized
national/international speaker who has addressed a variety of
audiences, including law enforcement, government agencies, emergency
medical teams, corporations, schools and churches. He also conducts
training seminars and conferences.
Education & Experience
When speaking, Bobby shares his education and experiences of
his 25 year law enforcement career. He also reveals the traumatic
events of his life, including the incident on LA15 in March of
1986 when he was left blind after a shotgun blast to the face
by a drug offender while in the line of duty. Bobby Began his
career in criminal justice by studying at the University of Louisiana
at Monroe and by working as a police officer at local police agencies
and later advancing to the Louisiana State Police. His assignments
have included patrol, investigations, narcotics, personnel and
training. Bobby earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in Criminal
Justice, and after being shot, a Masters Degree in Education,
and a doctorate in Counseling Psychology. He has also earned various
career certifications. See profile for a listing of certifications.
Nearly 20 years of speaking, Bobby has provided training and motivational
presentations to over one million people. He has been interviewed
by television, radio, magazine, and newspaper reporters from across
the nation. Bobby has even hosted his own television and radio
shows on dealing with trauma. Bobby has published two books thus
far and produced a variety of audio/video training resources.
Training and Motivational Speaking Overview
In his trauma seminars, Bobby Smith discusses critical incident
issues and how trauma affects the individual mentally, physically,
emotionally, and behaviorally. Specific topics to be discussed
include:
- Police Personalities
- Police Officer Areas of Stressors
- What is a Critical Incident?
- After-shock
- The Five Levels of Anxiety
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- The Grieving Process and Stages of Death or Losses
- The B.A.D.G.E.
Bobby Smith discusses with a unique blend of seriousness and
humor, how to deal with the tragedies of life. All of us experience
the unfortunate reality of emotional and physical losses. Bobby
teaches the importance of not taking a single day or person for
granted. He further explains how we often learn as children that
big boys don’t cry and that to ask for help is a sign of
weakness. This results in the accumulation of grief and loss that
we may be unwilling and sometimes unable to process. Bobby explains
that we may choose to store the pain in what he refers to as a
“closet.” However, avoiding or suppressing emotions
does not mean they go away. Traumatic events often take their
toil on one’s physical, mental, and emotional health, as
well as impacting relationships and careers.
