By Andrew Walsh
awalsh@wbcowqel.com
New Washington Police Chief Jeffrey Schook can’t be blamed for acting like a child at Christmas even though the season of giving is nearly 10 months away.
Schook may be new on the job but there is plenty of work to do. Schook and safety committee chair, Jerri Lucius, presented a needs list to council for purchase.
At the top of the list were new radios for the cruisers. The New Washington Police Department is still operating in an analog world while everyone is quickly going digital. Other police departments in the county have switched over to digital radio systems, but have not activated them yet.
These switches will take place over the next six months, which if New Washington does not keep pace, they will be unable to communicate with surrounding departments. A purchase of three handheld units and a base unit were approved for $3,305.
The other large purchase approved Monday was for five new service handguns and accessories. Schook is looking to standardize the firearms for the department. The purchase of five .23-caliber Glocks will outfit the three current officers and leave two spares. It is better for training and accountability that the entire force have identical primary firearms. Before this, officers provided their own. This made ensuring cleanliness and effectiveness more difficult. The new weapons and accessories are estimated to have a price tag of $3,500.
Schook has been conducting interviews to bolster the police force. Currently he is looking to add to the part-time staff, but the ultimate goal is to have two full-time officers complemented by part-time officers and 24/7 coverage. Budget options are being explored to restore the police department to 24/7 staffing levels.