By LISA SIMPSON STRANGE
GLASGOW — Q: You have a very extensive background in the military, with police enforcement and in your role as a training professional, which do you think you will draw from the most in this new position?
A: I don’t know that there is a good answer to that. I think I will draw from both because police work is paramilitary for the most part and we are continually changing with police work. But again, too, I think both of those backdrops give me good reference, particularly with leadership. I think the military is a very fine example of that and then with the training aspect and the emphasis in leadership go hand in hand. I think those will be my strengths here.
Q: What do you feel are the particular strengths you have that make you the right person at this time for this job?
A: Character. Integrity. Honesty. Truthfulness. Family. I have the ability to lead — proven leadership, I call it. I like to think of myself as a good communicator and I think that’s necessary in all that we do. I’ve got the training and the experience to do this work. I’m very confident in what I do, if you hadn’t noticed already.
Q: What in general about the city of Glasgow itself, attracted you here?
A: Glasgow is a very nice, clean city. It was close to where I live and there are some fine people who live in Glasgow and Barren County. Outside of that, there was not any particular attraction except the call for help. Can you help me out?
Q: What have been your initial impressions of the officers, the department’s assets and the community leaders as a whole?
A: The officers in the department who I have met have extended their hand and have been most helpful and I’m finding a very willing group of people who I find to be professional and they want to move on. They want to move forward and they want to provide this community what police department service is all about – community service. As far as the citizens within the community, everywhere I go I get encouragement and pats on the back and “we think you’ll be good for us” and I hope I live up to their expectations — a lot of encouragement all the way around. I see a lot of smiles in the police department today.
Q: You are doing audits of the department. How much of the initial audit process has been completed?
A: We are partially through that. One of most significant ones we’ll complete the evidence lockers and those things that are pertinent to the court for prosecution is complete — 100 percent accountable — and there are no deficiencies. As you know, those are the areas we had the independent folks from the sheriff’s department come over, two of their deputies came over, and helped us with that one. The others are ongoing. We’re still looking at the weapons and the vehicle inventory is about complete, but we’ve still got some other things that we’re trying to identify and it’s kind of difficult with the loss of the two people who were principally responsible for all that. A lot of things were in their offices and etc., so we’re trying to be cognizant of the things that we do so it doesn’t interfere with an ongoing case. But we’re making progress.
Q: Have you gotten into departmental paperwork compliance at all?
A: I think the first thing I have to do is learn what the paperwork requirements are, but we have discussed the report writing. I had a meeting yesterday with half of the staff. I’ve got another one tonight at 8 o’clock (Thursday) talking about expectations. When I made out my list, I put the word “expectations” on there twice - at the top and at the bottom of the list. The first part of expectations is what I expect from them and at the end are the expectations that they have a right to have of me. And so we’ve had a very good meeting but as far as paperwork, I’m still learning all of that and as you know police paperwork has to be detailed and we’re still learning about where all that is but I’m confident that we will be in good shape but we’re still finding stuff that needs to be addressed.
Q: Are there any inherent challenges involved in taking over a department with the types of controversy this one has had?
A: Well, you know, if it wasn’t a challenge, I wouldn’t have come. I think that challenge is what makes us and defines our character of who we are. The men and women who make up this department are up to that challenge and I’m here to lead that challenge. Anytime you’re in a leadership role in a situation like this it’s going to be a challenge, but we’re going to make it positive. We’re going to move forward. I told the folks yesterday that the train is leaving the station and we’re putting all this behind us and we need everybody on board and there may be some who don’t get on board … they’ll be left behind. If they want to go with us, we’re moving on. We’re moving forward and I’ve got a lot of people on the train.
Q: When you said the train is moving forward and those not on board will be left behind, are you saying that what you consider the train are the procedures in place and ... are you saying members or personnel in the department, if they’re not on board, they’re subject to termination?
A: It’s their choice. What I meant by that (is) it’s their choice. Some people may choose not to ride the train, but they know who the engineer is and they know what drives the engine. You must be willing to participate and ride or you can choose not to ride. Now I don’t mean anything about termination or anything like that. We want them. We want them to ride, but it’s up to them.
Q: Do you feel the recent incidents involving officers and staff (Travis, Murray, Graves, Hale) show a previous lack of discipline within the department?
A: I can’t comment on that because I don’t know what all transpired with that and I’ve not been here long enough. I understand there is a gag order on that and so I don’t know other than what I’ve read in the papers about those issues.
Q: What policies and/or procedures do you feel must be put in place to avoid future incidents of these types of situations?
A: I think the command and control side of it will be helpful. We’re going to look at the critical issues and policies. The first one we’re looking at is use of deadly force, the vehicle operations and that policy on pursuit or not pursuit, those sorts of things. But what’s going to be important is regular meetings and to communicate what the expectations are and to keep everybody apprised of events that are going on. Communication is extremely important.
Q: Have you made any decisions about current officer duties or the redistribution of workloads or assignments?
A: It is early yet. I don’t want to make any sudden decisions without a complete evaluation of who does what and that sort of thing - just some temporary things right now. I’ve asked Captain (Kent) Keen to also be responsible for the training side of the police along with PIO (public information officer). The vehicle maintenance, the management - the day shift commander will be responsible for that and Captain James Duff is the senior officer over there - senior captain - and he will be my assistant and will be acting in the capacity as chief in my absence. Those are the only immediate things that I’ve done currently. Captain Duff and I have talked about some reorganization and I think that will come, but it’s just too early right now. I think there are some things that can be done that will make us more efficient.
Q: Should we expect any major changes within the department in procedural issues or day-to-day operations?
A: I don’t know that there will be major changes outside of maybe in organization. But the responsibilities of the police are going to remain the same, it’s just that we’re going to spread those out into appropriate areas where they should be and we’re going to just try a different approach in some facets.
Q: Do you anticipate an increased level of checks and balances within the department as part of the reorganization from more people being involved in the checks and balances of each other?
A: I think so. That’s one of the things that we’ll look at particularly with relationships of command and reporting in-house. I discussed that yesterday about command and control, about chain of command in particular and we’ll always have, I believe, a balance of that within the department once we get organized. Typically, what you have in a lot of departments is you have it divided into operational and support activities and so at the top that’s how I see at least two of those being divided up so that not everything is controlled by one division in order for it to function completely you have to have the support folks and obviously they report to the chief. I’m the one who’s going to be making the ultimate decision if there’s any decision to be made between those two. But beyond that, I report to the mayor and there’s one of the city councilmen who’s on the public safety side of the council who will be getting the information from us probably monthly. I don’t know what has been done in the past, but I’m big on providing information to the people I’m responsible for and also we’re going to try to do a good job in putting out information that’s good for the public, as well. I want to utilize Kent (Keen) for that. I want to have a very good working relationship where the community believes and trusts in what we do and I’ve seen a lot of people who are very supportive, but I want to improve on that. I want to improve on everything that we’ve got going on.
Q: Do you view the police department as not a closed fraternal society, but more of an open one with interaction with the public.
A: We have to be. It’s like basketball when you do the three-point shot. You live or die by that and we have to have the community’s support. I’m very big into what I call community policing. When that theory first started, that was not anything new. They called it community-oriented policing. I always said, “I’m not oriented toward anything.” We are going to do community policing because we need to know what the community desires and it’s our responsibility to provide that service if it’s law enforcement-related. We’re going to do that. We’re going to be proactive about it.
Q: So I take it then that your belief is that the community’s involvement with the police department is what makes a community safer as a whole.
A: Critical. Absolutely. Without a doubt.
Q: Would you say that’s No. 1 on your list of what a police department is supposed to do within a community?
A: I think so. Obviously you see a lot of the “Protect and Serve” signs on cars and we have those on ours and we are there to protect and we’re there to serve. Service and community go hand-in-hand in my opinion. So, if you qualify it that way, then the answer is yes.
Q: Do you want to increase community-based efforts such as CrimeStoppers and the program you set up at Western, the WKU Citizens Police Academy?
A: I don’t know that we’ve ever done that here with the citizens police academy, but that’s a very good tool to use for getting citizens involved to know what the police actually do and so often citizens don’t realize what all the activities of the police are and that’s a very good way to do that and we will probably look at that down the road. Right now we’re just trying to let the dust settle and we’re trying to move forward and it’s probably one of those things we’ll do. I saw some of the people at the Rotary club luncheon today (Thursday) in the education field and school systems in Barren County schools and we have some of their schools within the city limits and what I want us to do and I know we’re actively involved with things like DARE and we’ve got a school resource officer who’s on site at Glasgow, but I want the beat officers – not just one – I want everyone who wears the Glasgow Police uniform to be able to stop in the school to go in that principal or the people in the office know who they are have lunch with the kids on occasion and let them know that we are there for them and education is important to me. So there are a lot of things that I have on my mind that we’re going to initiate, but it’s just going to take a little time to roll it out.
Q: Do you believe there are opportunities for increased multi-agency efforts?
A: Yes, always. I’m fortunate in the fact that I know a lot of the different agency heads and people at the different federal and state and local levels so I will be able to insert us into some of the things that are going on and networking, as you know, whether it be in the print media profession or if it’s television or whatever or law enforcement, networking is extremely valuable to us. We should be able to have a lot of contact. Not all of us have all the right ideas and we can learn from one another and I’m a big believer in that. We share the wealth and we help one another and as a team we go forward. We do some good things.
Q: When you asked Sheriff Eaton to come in and his people to be the independent agency to look at the evidence locker were you concerned about response within the department of asking that particular agency?
A: I wasn’t concerned, but I wanted to let people know that if integrity is an issue that we want to provide proof that what is done here is appropriate and correct and we have an outside agency that has helped us with this. In response, going back to utilizing other agencies, the agencies in law enforcement have the same purpose. Purpose-wise, we can do it better and efficiently if we work together. I told our people at the staff meeting that’s on my list. We will work with other agencies and we will do it just like they’re one of us. Unless there’s some reason that develops, we’re going to start from zero and move forward. I see no reason we can’t work together.
Q: Was it also kind of an opportunity to send that message that you were just giving?
A: Absolutely. That’s why it was important to me to meet with all of the department during the first week to set the tone. This is what we’re going to do. The past is behind us and we can’t do anything about the past, but we can certainly do things for today and we can plan on the future and see what works out. I think you will see a tremendous joint cooperation in this county from people.
Q: I take it the other agencies are receptive to that idea as well?
A: I think so, the ones that met. I plan on meeting with the post commander in Bowling Green of the state police. The DTF director I’ve known for 25 years or more and obviously Sheriff Eaton and I have already talked. I have people who I have known in the law enforcement field that I feel very comfortable talking with. Chief (Billy) Minton over at Cave City, I was in the office today. Everyone I’ve talked with has pledged their help and their cooperation and I’m going to hold them to that. I expect that of them and they can expect that of me.
Q: Do you have a timetable for how long you want to stay in this position?
A: No, we haven’t discussed that.
Q: What were the primary reasons why you took the position?
A: I have a passion for law enforcement and I also have a passion to help people. That’s just something that’s from within and I was available. I did it because I was asked and I thought the community needed someone and I guess I can’t say no. I’ve had a lot of people say evidently you don’t understand what the word “retirement” is. I said well I’ve been living in the wilderness for about a year now and so it was time for me to do something. I have that desire, I guess a lot of people refer to it as a servant’s heart. That makes me, when people need something and they ask, I can’t say no. I want to help and particularly in this profession. These guys are my brothers and sisters and it’s just like family to me so that’s why I want to help them and stay as long as I can.
Q: Is part of this job right now building back the psyches. I’m wondering if any of your people have kind of let the things that have happened over the last couple of weeks impact them and is your job to help build the officers over there back up?
A: I think you’re exactly right. I think that’s part of the job. I was telling some of the command staff earlier that I’ve had some experience with when you read only bad things and you read bad news, it can have an impact on you when you’re part of that organization and it reflects, even though you didn’t have anything to do with anything that has occurred, it makes you feel a part of that perhaps. I’ve been involved in other organizations where the same sorts of things have occurred. I’ve been able to work with those and turn those around and all of it has to do with leadership. Leadership is key. I think if we set the example that will be regained quickly. As a matter of fact, as I said, I’ve seen a lot of smiles this week and we’re going to grow. There are a lot of fine people in the Glasgow Police Department. There really are.
Q: You’ve known Mayor Darrell Pickett for a long time. How do you feel that relationship will affect the two of you working together in this situation?
A: Since the ’90s, I guess. I think both of us are professional and we talked. He’s the mayor and I know that and I’m the police chief and he knows that. We will be able to communicate as professionals and our friendship will not interfere with that. He asked me to do this and I asked that I have some latitude and that I have some autonomy in being the police chief and he agreed to that and based on those conditions, I told him that I would help. I expect that relationship to continue on the side. It might be a first-name basis, but it’s always Mr. Mayor and Chief and that’s what I anticipate it will be.
Q: You have also known Chris Eaton, the sheriff of Barren County, for a number of years.
A: A lesser number of years, but I’ve known him for awhile.
Q: There has been a history of some friction between the two departments.
A: No more.
Q: Will the relationship between the two of you also help that situation and do you see that problem being resolved?
A: I think so. I think that will help. I don’t see any issues and if there are any issues, Chris and I will resolve them. Just like the state police post commander and I, if there are any issues with that agency, we’ll resolve those. I don’t believe in letting things fester and get out of control and I think that all problems are solveable.
Q: Do you have training goals for the officers?
A: Captain (Kent Keen) and I talked about training for the officers and what we want to do is training that is beneficial that the officers need and is career-enhancing. For example, it does little or no good to send ... if a patrol officer needs patrol skills, I don’t need to send him to DNA evidence collection class or something of that nature where a detective or an investigator that might be something more appropriate or computer investigations Patrol is not going to deal with that on a regular basis so we’re going to try to design the training program where it helps the individual officers at whatever their level is whether it be a supervisor or otherwise that helps them perform their job. It’s all about performance. So that’s what we’re going to do with regard to training and we have to look and I said this yesterday is that all of us in the room need to look and see who beneath you in the chain of command or whoever works in your area will you have trained, will you mentor to take your job. Just like me, I have to be looking at someone, if I leave today, who can fill in, who can take my job and they’ll never miss me and that’s the premise I work under and I said every commander, every captain, every major, when we have majors again, we’ll have to look at that and be preparing someone to replace them. That’s what we all should be doing. That’s just my philosophy about training.
Q: Is there anything specifically we haven’t touched on that you feel the community needs to know about you or your plans for the department?
A: I don’t think there’s anything that you haven’t touched on. I’m pleased to be here. I knew it was a challenge and I will do my best to ensure the citizens of Glasgow get the service they deserve and that’s what I believe in. That’s my purpose and that’s the purpose of the Glasgow Police Department.
Q: You were just talking about the manpower training. Technically, I guess, your term is interim chief of police, but do you see that no matter what the interim may be that your primary goal is to set up a system and have a department have a system in place so that the person who follows you has a system that they can just take over and they don’t have to do the heavy lifting?
A: I think interim is just that. It’s to build and whenever the project is over – again my desire is whenever I leave the chief is hired and we’ve helped develop that person and we’re going to move forward and you guys won’t ever remember who Horace Johnson was. It’s just that way.
Q: Often I’d say the perception of interim is placeholder not framework builder.
A: I don’t know what definition the mayor has with this about interim, but typically that’s true. It’s not for a long period of time, but I know that my title as far as I’m concerned is police chief and that’s what I expect. These guys are not standing around waiting for the interim to be dropped and a new chief to be hired. They know I’m the chief. This is the way it is and we’re moving forward. It’s typically much easier for an interim manager or chief to make changes than it is for someone who’s permanent in nature, but sometimes interims become permanent and sometimes they don’t. But it should make life easier for the guy or gal who follows. Obviously, organizational changes, it’s a period for assessment and review and improvement. It’s a time factor and I don’t know that we have one here.
Q: No timeframe because you don’t know what the time will take?
A: More than a week.
