Alpharetta police mourn death of longtime detective from cancer

ALPHARETTA, Ga. - Alpharetta police are mourning the loss of one of their own.

Officials say Detective Brian Smith died on Wednesday after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

What we know:

According to the department, Smith spent more than 19 years in service to the city of Alpharetta.

"We love you, Brian. Rest easy — we've got the watch from here," the Alpharetta Police Department wrote on Facebook.

Authorities are asking the public to send thoughts and prayers to Smith's family and colleagues.

Detective Brian Smith (Alpharetta Police Department)

What they're saying:

A memorial patrol car has been set up outside the Alpharetta Public Safety Headquarters in his honor. Community members and colleagues have left flowers and cards at the site, paying tribute to his service and impact."He was my colleague. I mean, we worked, you know, side by side for a number of years," said Capt. Jakai Braithwaite, who investigated many cases with Smith. "He had the longest tenure in investigations than anybody in the department."

Smith’s diagnosis came less than two weeks ago. Braithwaite recalled how quickly the disease progressed. "He walked himself into the hospital on Wednesday. And by Thursday, I mean, things were—it was different. And, I mean, it went really, really quick," Braithwaite said. "Our hearts are broken here at the city of Alpharetta. Our hearts are broken in this city. And our hearts, you know, this whole community—we’re definitely, we’re—we’re devastated."

Dr. Olantunji Alese, an oncologist with the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University, said pancreatic cancer is often detected at an advanced stage, making it one of the deadliest forms of cancer. "We see virtually everybody dying from it. So it’s a very aggressive, very fatal cancer that does not have a well-validated screening method, unlike breast or colorectal cancer," Alese said. He noted that only about 20% of cases are caught early enough for a cure.

Smith was scheduled to retire in July at age 55. "He wanted to get that golden ticket," Braithwaite said. "We literally just celebrated a retirement today after 35 years. We were going to celebrate his in July. He wanted to get to July at 55 where he could be eligible to retire, and he wasn’t able to get there. And that in itself is a tragedy as well."

Beyond his investigative skills, Smith was known for his quick wit and humor. "He would just come up with the craziest one-liners when you weren’t even expecting it," Braithwaite said. "You know, we’re in the middle of an investigation, and we’re talking about this and talking about that. And then he’d give this crazy one-liner and just have, you know, the room laughing."

Tributes poured in on social media from former colleagues. "One of the most pleasurable folks that I had the honor of working with. Such a quick wit and contagious smile," one person wrote.

"We will all miss his sense of humor—Brian could always make me laugh even on the toughest of days," another comment read.

What you can do:

While details of Smith's funeral arrangements have not been shared, the Alpharetta Police Department has placed a memorial patrol car outside its Public Safety Headquarters to honor the officer's memory.

The memorial for Detective Brian Smith (Alpharetta Police Department)

Anyone who wants to pay tribute to Smith can visit the patrol car at the corner of Westside Parkway and Old Milton Parkway.

Smith’s family has requested that donations be made to the Alpharetta Police Foundation in his memory instead of sending flowers.