Distinguished Police Officer
Brian O’Branovich
Police lieutenant relishes serving in, being part of community By Randy Capps
As a young man, Brian O’Branovich knew he wanted to serve. He just wasn’t sure how. “I wanted to go into the military at a young age, but that didn’t work out for me because of a football injury,” he said. “I wound up getting into loss prevention and doing security. That made me ultimately decide to get into law enforcement.” For the last 16 years he’s served various roles for the Smithfield Police Department. And for that work, he earned the 2020 Johnston Now Honors Distinguished Police Officer award. “You don’t do it for rewards or recognition,” he said of the honor. “You do it because it’s the right thing to do. As an officer, you want to make sure you’re out there doing the right thing as a professional and representing your agency as well as the town.” 26 | JOHNSTON NOW
He began his career with the Crabtree Valley Special Police Department, working as a security guard. The CVSPD helped him cultivate his interest in law enforcement, and also paid for him to attend Basic Law Enforcement Training.
O’Branovich, it’s not a common Johnston County last name. Everybody calls me “OB,” and that’s how I’m known here.”
He joined the Smithfield Police Department in 2004, and the rest is history.
He’s not the only O’Branovich in town, however. He lives there with his wife, Jamie, and three sons. They also own and operate Salon 29:11 & Day Spa, named for a passage from the book of Jeremiah, chapter 29, verses 11-13, which reads:
“I was 24 when I started here,” he said. “Now that I’m 40, I have matured with this community. I’ve been very fortunate. Smithfield’s been very good to me. I’ve had opportunities to go to the City of Raleigh and bigger agencies. I really didn’t want to be just a number.
“For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
“I wanted to make myself known in a community and strive to help people. The good Lord has provided an opportunity for me to be here in Smithfield, and I’m focused on being in Smithfield. People know me as me. With a last name like
“I love the fact that it’s all local, and we’re making this community home,” he said of his family’s roots in Smithfield. He started in SPD as a patrol officer. He has since been promoted to detective,
