SEASIDE – Years of dedicated service in communications got state officials talking about Lynn Smith.

The communications manager for the 9-1-1 dispatch center at the Seaside Police Department received a professional service award this week from officials of Law Enforcement Data System, or LEDS.

More than 300 LEDS officials from across the state are attending the group’s annual gathering for training this week at the Seaside Civic and Convention Center, where the award was presented to Smith on Tuesday night.

“I was really surprised,” Smith said. “I was thrilled, of course.”

Wording on the brass plaque describes how the award is bestowed for “personal commitment and dedication” to the field of law enforcement and criminal justice information systems.

Jan Schumaker, deputy chief of the Seaside Police Department, said she had known about preparations for the honor but kept quiet about it. Smith’s award is well-deserved, she added.

“Her peers recognize her abilities as much as her co-workers and subordinates,” Schumaker said.

Smith began working at the police department as a secretary in July 1979 and later served as an administrative assistant. Chief Ken Almberg appointed her as communications manager in 1994.