Mount Vernon, WA. February 12th, 2015. The Mount Vernon Police Department Citizens academy started tonight. We arrived for class and were greeted by Lt. Chris Cammock as well as multiple other Mount Vernon Police Department staff and citizen volunteers. They helped us sign in, got us our name tags, and then we lined up for photographs for our name badges. After some small chat, we selected our seats. There were very well put together Mount Vernon Police Department Citizen Academy Manuals waiting for us at our seats. The previous Citizen’s Academy students brought in cookies and and provided coffee and tea as well.
There was an introduction from Mayor Jill Boudreau. She spoke of her time in our very seats when she went through the citizens academy herself and her path to becoming the Mayor.
Chief Jerry Dodd was introduced. When most people think of a Police Chief, the words funny and personable do not usually come to mind. However, this was not the case. Chief Dodd was not only very personable, he was very funny as well. I learned that Chief Dodd began his career as a Police Explorer with the Bellingham Police Department in 1971, and joined the Mount Vernon Police Department 36 years ago. (I wasn’t even born yet at that time) He was appointed to the position of Chief of Police in 2012 by Mayor Boudreau. Before being appointed the Chief of Police, he had overseen the department’s patrol, administrative, investigations and crime prevention divisions. Chief Dodd implemented the first Citizen’s Academy in February of 1994 and is a long time instructor.
Chief Dodd has a long list of accomplishments and commendations. They include everything from being a Skagit Valley College Graduate all the way up to attending the 162nd session of the FBI National Executive Academy. He teaches at the Skagit Valley College, Whatcom Community College, Basic Reserve Law Enforcement Academy and the Parks Law Enforcement Academy. He is on the Mount Vernon Christian School Board as well as many other community activities. He’s married, and has three kids. Chief Dodd didn’t want to talk about all that stuff though, that was on his bio in our new binders.
Instead, Chief Dodd spoke a lot about Community based policing, problem orientated policing and especially neighborhood policing. He also spoke passionately about the safety and well being of the 33,170+ citizens that reside in the City of Mount Vernon. What does all this mean? In a short version: ” A Safe Community is achieved through strategies and tactics that are proactive and based upon partnerships between the police, city departments, and the community” It means that each neighborhood has it’s own issues and problems unique to their neighborhood and the Mount Vernon Police Department polices each neighborhood accordingly, instead of using a blanket policing tactic for the entire city. He went around the room and asked us to describe the issues that we have in our own neighborhoods. Some neighborhoods had the same issues others were different. This was a prime example of how they have to police each neighborhood differently. Some of the neighborhood issues that were brought up were parking issues, barking dogs, drug use, domestic violence, vandalism, thefts, homeless camps, etc. I could spend hours writing about the different forms of policing and education that was discussed but I won’t. It was a very informative glimpse into some of the strategies that the Mount Vernon Police Department uses to police each neighborhood within the overall community.
Chief Dodd spoke of the Police Department Mission, Vision and Values. The Mount Vernon Police Department Mission Statement: “To Consistently seek and find way to affirmatively promote, preserve and deliver a feeling of security, safety, and productive, quality service to citizens and visitors of our community” To break it down a bit: They seek open and trusting exchange between the police and citizens. Communication is two-way. They want to hear from the citizens, they want to know what you see as an issue in your neighborhood . Prevention is the central strategy to all operations. It is in the communities best interest to prevent crime before it happens instead of reacting to it once it happens. The one thing that I thought was really important was the fact that he believes the reduction in crime, the solutions to neighborhood problems and general public safety issues are a shared responsibility. Safer street happen when the police and citizens work together to make it happen. This includes adapting to different issues in different neighborhoods. I believe he said the Mount Vernon Police Department has over 50 citizen volunteers that help out around the Police Department via different programs. They help with non emergency calls and incidents. That is like having an additional 50 part time officers on board. He stated that without the dedication from these community members and volunteers the Police Department wouldn’t be able to do some of the things they do in the community. He welcomes and encourages volunteers at the department.
He really believes the quote from Sir Robert Peel “The police should at all times maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police are the only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interest of the community welfare”
There was so much more that was covered, but we don’t want to share too much. This was a good start to the Academy and a real eye opener to the style of policing that officers use in Mount Vernon. Going into the class, I had a different mind set on how the Police Department looked at patrolling and policing the streets of Mount Vernon. You know, the type of policing that is portrayed in the media and in cop shows on TV.
The department tour at the end of class was pretty neat. We were taken through most of the building and got to see all sorts of neat stuff that we wouldn’t have normally been able to see had we not joined the Citizens Academy. Holding Cells, Ammo Storage Rooms, Self Defense Tactic training room, meeting rooms, Swat Gear Storage, Vehicle Storage, Gun storage, Evidence Storage, Finger printing, and work stations.
I am looking forward to next week!
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