First Black Woman Promoted as DA’s Senior Criminal Investigator
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By Bailey Hosfelt
Latheia Smith was recently promoted to be the first woman, and the first Black woman, to hold the position of Senior Criminal Investigator in the history of the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.
Westchester District Attorney Mimi Rocah announced Smith’s promotion in a press release on March 24.
“Latheia Smith is an extraordinarily talented investigator who has dedicated her life to making her community safer through a career in law enforcement. She shares my vision of a criminal justice system that balances justice for victims with fairness for all involved,” Rocah said. “I am proud to promote Investigator Smith in recognition of her many exceptional talents, skills and achievements.
Smith began her career in 2003 with the Mount Vernon Police Department. There, she investigated a wide range of cases in the General Investigations Division, Narcotics Divison and Street Crime.
After gaining experience handling confidential informants, securing search warrants and successfully coordinating criminal investigations with other law enforcement agencies, Smith was promoted to a detective.
In 2009, Smith joined the District Attorney’s Office Criminal Investigators Squad, where she has investigated and assisted in the prosecution of homicides, sexual assaults, child abuse, elder abuse, narcotics cases and domestic violence.
Currently assigned to the Criminal Investigators Special Prosecutions Unit, Smith oversees investigations related to human trafficking, sex crimes, domestic violence, elder abuse and child abuse.
“Working at the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office has provided me with the opportunity to serve the County that I live in by working cases and assisting agencies with their investigations,” Smith said. “As a law enforcement officer, my ability to help victims and their families while they are going through a criminal matter is incredibly rewarding. I’m thrilled to be promoted to Senior Criminal Investigator, and am proud to not only be the first woman in that role but also the first Black woman.”
Rocah’s promotion of Smith joins a series of promotions of women and women of color to key leadership positions within her first year in office.
In January 2021, Rocah appointed the first Black woman to an Executive Assistant District Attorney position, the first Black woman and first Hispanic woman to the Deputy Division Chief level and a woman as Chief of the largest division in the office.
Additionally, Rocah promoted 15 women, including six women of color, to the Bureau Chief and Branch Chief level, as well as to Coordinator positions.
“Making this Office truly representative of the diversity of the communities we serve by having women and women of color in leadership positions in law enforcement is critically important, and I remain committed to this as one of my top priorities,” Rocah said.
Bailey has journalism experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties and New York City on topics related to LGBTQ+ issues, women’s rights, climate change, the environment, and local politics. They have been a full-time reporter with Examiner Media since July 2021. Read more details from Bailey’s bio here. Read Bailey’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/baileyhosfelt/
