R-T Photo/Diane Lowrey
Three members of the Trenton Rotary Club – Don Woodard, Virgil Walden and Rick Klinginsmith – were recognized for achieving multiple-Paul Harris Fellow status during Thursday’s meeting. Pictured are, from left, Club President Gary Jordan, Woodard, Walden, Klinginsmith and Rotary Foundation Chairman Jeff Crowley, who made the presentation of pins to the recipients.
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Chief Wright, who has been with the TPD since Oct. 22, 2011, gave an overview of what the department has accomplished during his time here. Among statistical highlights, the police department has received 23,160 calls for service, making 1,034 arrests on 1,466 total charges. There have been 12,264 emergency calls, 13,516 walk-ins and 80,268 telephone calls. There have been 1,533 citations written, including 202 parking tickets, as well as 560 crash investigations and 6,835 business checks. Since the police department took over nuisance complaints, there have been 511 complaints investigated, with Wright noting there are probably that many more to be checked. He said it is a culture change to address the nuisances, pointing out that the situation wasn’t created overnight and won’t be remedied overnight.
Wright said his department believes in “community policing,” getting involved in activities to gain community support. Among programs in which the department has been involved are Coffee with a Cop, Project Night Eyes, Cops-N-Bobbers, Shop with a Cop, Selective Traffic Enforcement, the Chief’s Tea, Blue Line Ladies, Women’s Self-Defense and Bulldog Bucks. He said the department also hosts a Christmas dinner for foster children in the county.
As for officer training, Wright said sessions are held on a monthly basis. The department also provides many types of training for the public, including active shooter, pedestrian safety, the citizens’ academy and “Introduction to Nuisances – 1 Yard at a Time.” He pointed out that several pieces of equipment have been acquired by the department via grants or private donations, including body cameras.
During the business meeting pins were presented to Don Woodard, Virgil Walden and Rick Klinginsmith representing multiple years of achieving Paul Harris Fellow status.
Next week’s program chairman is Debbie Carman, who will talk about the Missouri Day Festival.