Smyrna Area Council Names Citizen Of The Year: Lt. Louis Defense

SMYRNA, GA — The Cobb County Chamber of Commerce's Smyrna Area Council chose its 2021 Citizen of the Year: Lt. Louis Defense of the Smyrna Police Department.

The area councils' Citizen of the Year awards are given out to people chosen for their "definable, exceptional deeds, with which he or she have made their community a better place to live," according to a news release.

Area councils represent six geographical areas of Cobb County to the chamber and focus on promoting businesses, and addressing relevant issues and interests of their respective communities: Cumberland, East Cobb, Marietta, Northwest Cobb (Acworth, Kennesaw and West Cobb), Smyrna and South Cobb.

In East Cobb, former Cobb Commissioner Bob Ott was selected as East Cobb Area Council's Citizen of the Year.

• Read more: East Cobb Area Council Names Ex-Commissioner Citizen Of The Year

Defense, SPD's public information officer, began his law enforcement career in November 2000 with SPD, and hasn't left since, the release said. He has served time in uniform patrol and supervisor of the department's Community Relations Unit.

Prior to entering into law enforcement, Defense served in the U.S. Marine Corps.

"At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Defense found an unmet need in our community. He realized that our most at-risk populations could not be in public and thus could not pick up their basic life necessities such as food and medication," the release said. "Defense began delivering groceries and medication to Smyrna's at-risk populations and, due to the program's popularity, expanded his reach into areas of unincorporated Cobb that bordered Smyrna."

Defense also coordinated and instructed SPD's inaugural Youth Police Academy in the wake of George Floyd's murder, where kids from the area could attend a one-week "police academy" where they learned about law enforcement and life skills.

"Defense is a common face in our local schools and colleges where he enjoys spending time and mentoring our youth in both law enforcement and life skills. Additionally, Defense can be found in local civic organizations where he is often seen giving updates on crime and other city happenings," the release said. "He truly is the go-to guy for many citizens of Smyrna."