Reserve Gary Police officer found dead while working security job

A reserve officer with the Gary Police Department was found dead inside his vehicle Sunday night in northwest Indiana.

Willie Smith Jr., 30, was found unresponsive in his personal vehicle in the 100 block of North Clark Road, according to Gary Police Lt. Dawn Westerfield and the Lake County coroner’s office.

He was pronounced dead at 9:09 p.m., according to the coroner’s office.

Smith was a reserve officer with the department, but was not working a police assignment when he died, Westerfield said. He was working a security detail for a business in the area.

There were no signs of trauma and no foul play is suspected, Westerfield said.

Cause and manner of death are pending further studies, the coroner’s office said.