John Smriga. Photo: Autumn Driscoll

John Smriga, a prosecutor with a reputation for seeking creative solutions, will step down after nearly 11 years in the role of Fairfield's state's attorney.

Smriga, 66, is retiring Jan. 31. The state is expected to announce his replacement on Feb. 11.

During the final days of his more than decadelong stint heading the office, attorneys looking back at his tenure say Smriga will leave a lasting impression.

"His legacy is that he was a fair and decent guy in a very difficult job, and a challenging environment, to put it mildly," said Fairfield solo practitioner Eugene Riccio.

Tough role

The outgoing state's attorney acknowledges a prosecutor's job is satisfying, but often far from mild.

"I was doing this for 40 years, and I thought that was enough," Smriga said. "It's not always the most uplifting of professions, because we are dealing with people who are victims of crime. They are traumatized by it. When the end result is often the incarceration of people, that's also not a happy event. There is a lot of sadness associated with this job."

Smriga lives in Shelton, but was born and raised in Bridgeport. Attorneys, like Riccio, say he understands the problems of urban crime.

"Instead of simply condemning everyone, he looks to find creative solutions to a problem," Riccio said.

Ruane Attorneys partner Jim Ruane Sr., who has known Smriga for more than 30 years, said the state attorney's capacity for compassion set the tone for his approach. He was authoritative, but not vindictive, characteristics that helped Smriga gain the admiration of colleagues and attorneys on opposing sides.

As state's attorney, Smriga met stakeholders in the community, and devoted time to Project Longevity, a 9-year-old venture aimed at reducing gun violence in the judicial district. His primary role was to work with law enforcement and other agencies to identify at-risk residents, and offer support services that might steer them from violence.

"They might need job training, or housing, or assistance with their GED," Smriga said. "If there was anything we could do to change the circumstances of that person, we'd do it."

With Smriga's impending departure, the Criminal Justice Commission is seeking his successor to run an office of 45 employees in Easton, Trumbull, Fairfield, Stratford, Monroe and Bridgeport.

"This state's attorney position oversees one of the most diverse and busy districts in the state," said Associate Supreme Court Justice Andrew McDonald, who chairs the commission. "The district has a very large volume of cases and an extraordinarily complex set of cases."

The ideal candidate for the job, McDonald said, would be a "seasoned prosecutor who is also a strong leader, who knows how to handle a complex caseload and can harness all of the human capital that the state has invested in the district."

Smriga's admirers say the outgoing state's attorney leaves a shining example for his successor.