Irene Reyes-Smith was born on September 8, 1969, to her proud parents, Jose and Ana Reyes. Being born and raised in Washington DC allowed Irene to become a Renaissance woman. She is a prayer intercessor, motivational speaker, community activist, entrepreneur, former DC Metropolitan Police Officer, and most importantly, a woman of God. Looking to the Bible for words of inspiration, Irene found that Proverbs 22:6—Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it—resonated with her. Not wanting to miss the blessings of God, Irene shifted her focus to the children and began to contribute her skills to helping at-risk youth.
In 2005-2006, Irene became a Community Outreach Coordinator, she started as a Truancy Officer in 2006-2018 to assist at-risk youth. These positions afforded her the opportunity to work closely with parents, teachers, guidance counselors, and community leaders to ensure youth attended school. Irene got to know the children and used that time to build them up with the power of prayer and encouragement. As a result of her direct involvement, several youths completed their schooling and began participating in community activities to avoid the negative temptations that their environment offered. To keep the momentum going, Irene is in the early stages of starting The Ana Reyes Survival College Scholarship Fund in honor of her late mother. The mission of the Ana Reyes Survival College Scholarship Fund is to help high school students achieve their goals while surviving the pressures of life.
Irene showed love and compassion for her community and worked tirelessly in various positions throughout her 30-year tenure with the DC Metropolitan Police Department until her retirement in June of 2021. Following her retirement, Irene felt compelled to write about the trials and tribulations in her life. Wanting to be a testament of God’s mercy and grace, Irene tells her truth in her memoir, Surviving the Badge. She also launched The Shields of Faith.org, which provides inspirational-filled and innovative apparel and other products with powerful biblical inscriptions.
Now retired, Irene is pursuing a more in-depth career with community engagements, public speaking while advancing her business. Irene married the love of her life, Dion Smith, in 2013. A blended family, Dion and Irene are the proud parents of five children––with Charisma and Reginald II being Irene’s natural children. She is also the luckiest grandmother to Jasiah, Liam, and Reginald III.