Sean Michael Smoot received his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Sciences from Illinois State University and his Juris Doctor degree from the Southern Illinois University School of Law, where Mr. Smoot served as the Business Editor of the Southern Illinois University Law Journal. Currently Mr. Smoot serves as Director and Chief Counsel for the Police Benevolent & Protective Association of Illinois (“PB&PA”) and the Police Benevolent Labor Committee (“PBLC”). In those capacities he is responsible for the provision of legal services for over 7,500 legal defense plan participants. Mr. Smoot regularly represents police officers in Police & Fire Board and Merit Commission discipline and discharge cases, as well as, Section 1983 Civil Rights Litigation, Unfair Labor Practices, Grievance Arbitration, and Interest Arbitration cases. As the organizations’ primary legislative advocate, Mr. Smoot writes legislation, testifies before legislative bodies, and speaks often, regarding police related topics such as, Public Employment Labor Law, Pension & Benefits Law, Section 1983 Civil Rights Litigation, and Police Use of Force. Mr. Smoot has also written several articles for The Policemen’s Magazine as well as numerous police labor publications and newsletters. He co-authored “Police Leadership Challenges in a Changing World” published in July, 2012 by the US Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice.
Mr. Smoot also serves as the elected Treasurer of the National Association of Police Organizations (“NAPO”), a national law enforcement advocacy group representing over 250,000 police officers. He has served on the Advisory Committee for the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Rights Center in Washington, D.C. since 1996. He is a member of the Advisory Committee and a speaker at the Chicago-Kent College of Law’s Annual Illinois Public Sector Labor Relations Law Program. He also serves on the Use of Force Advisory Committee, the Police Pursuit Advisory Committee, the Racial Profiling Advisory Committee, and the Task Force on Police Integrity for the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board. Smoot speaks regularly at state, national, and international forums regarding community policing, public safety, and public employee labor issues. He has also been a featured speaker at the National Academy of Arbitrators and several CLE programs regarding the Rights of Employees.
