Lieutenant Mike Goldsmith was born in Durango, Colorado, and relocated to Albuquerque, New Mexico. He later moved to San Diego, attended Marston Junior High School, graduated from Claremont High School, and attended the University of California at San Diego with an emphasis in Biology. He transferred to California State University at Humboldt with an emphasis in Wildlife Management, and obtained a Bachelors Degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix.

Lieutenant Goldsmith started his law enforcement career at the Arcata, California, Police Department working as a Community Service Officer, later becoming a Reserve Police Officer for the same city. In January of 1982 Lieutenant Goldsmith returned to Southern California and joined Oceanside Police Department. He worked as a patrol officer, performed the duties of Uniformed Crime Investigator and was a Field Training Officer. He has been a Firearms Instructor since 1983 and a Taser Instructor since 1988.

Lieutenant Goldsmith has been a Sergeant in Patrol; General Investigations, including Property Crimes and Crimes of Violence; and the Special Enforcement Section, including Vice, Narcotics and Gangs.

He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2006, has been a General Investigations Lieutenant and is currently a Watch Commander in the Field Operations Division.