The newly appointed Chief of Police in Montpelier, Dan McGee, explains that he sees living and working in a town the size of Montpelier “a true reflection on being human” and places an emphasis on seeing both himself and residents of the town as human beings, all of which will occasionally make mistakes in some form or another.
Chief McGee also explains that he sees Montpelier as a unique village. While the size of the town allows for the feeling of safety as well as the respectful friendship that citizens enjoy, the town does have events occurring that our atypical for a town of Montpelier’s size. These events are the result of Montpelier being situated so close to the borders of two other states, Michigan and Indiana, along with major roads such as the Ohio Turnpike running through or near the town that constantly bring people in from other towns.
McGee, however, sees no challenges in his new position that cannot be overcome and credits the entire staff of the Department for their diligence and support. This support, which culminated in several officers coming together on their own to speak in McGee’s behalf in front of Village Council, is something that McGee finds to be both “invaluable” and “humbling”. He also says that the amount of good people around him have made the transition to Chief of Police comfortable for him.
When off the job McGee enjoys spending time with his wife Erin and two daughters, six year old Meara and three year old Aislinn, and is looking forward to a son due to be born at any time. Still, while he might maintain that family is first, McGee acknowledges that his job often follows him home. “It is unfortunate baggage of the career that the job comes home with me and sometimes that can be frustrating but I’m flattered that people call me when they need help. I want to be there for them and, if I’m the person they think can help them, I want them to call,” McGee says.
McGee also acknowledges that his wife is both excited and happy for him as he is entering his new position but that she is probably often frustrated because of the level of commitment that he puts into his job. This level of commitment, however, is not new for McGee. He sees his new position as mostly a title change and believes that his commitment is vital for the community that depends on him as well as to set a good example of work ethic for his kids.
McGee’s background and training him have him well prepared for his new position. He holds an Associate’s degree in Law Enforcement, a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice, and a Master’s in Public Administration. He has been with the Montpelier Police Department for fourteen years and ten of those have been spent in a supervisory position of some sort. Prior to joining the Montpelier Police Department, McGee served for two years in the Village of Rocky Ridge and as a full time corrections officer in Lucas County.
The new Chief admits that rising to that rank was never his original goal but says that as he grew in his career and experiences that it was a natural path to follow and that he is excited about the opportunity presented to him and looks forward to serving the Village of Montpelier and it’s residents. He also explains that he believes that more than just his training and education that will benefit him as he takes on new responsibilities. “It takes a special type of person to be in law enforcement,” McGee explains. “They have to have what I call Police Officer I.Q., the knowledge of the laws, but they also have to have a personality and be able to interact with people and treat them with the respect they wish to be treated with.”
When asked if the residents of Montpelier should expect to see changes within the Montpelier Police Department, McGee explained that he is his own person with his own flavor and spin but that there will not be a lot of changes. He notes that he has only two major goals. The first is to ensure that the officers working for the Department continue to receive the tools, training, and education needed to be effective on the job. The second is to continue to serve the populous of Montpelier in a manner which best serves the entire community over any individual, including himself.
