By: Jenna Frisby
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jenna@thevillagereporter.com
The Montpelier Police Department has always been proactive in crime prevention. This is a key factor to some of the numbers they have run. In the past year their involvement numbers alone are up by 15% this alone shows how busy the department is a whole.
But that is impartially to the fact that they run small town services throughout their community. Whether it be regular business checks or residential checks, the MPD is proud to be proactive in running these services for their community.
The department has faced some hurdles in the past few years, the majority of the factors driving those difficulties have been with personnel. The number of available officers has not been enough to fill the open positions that have been available.
However, since the spring of 2024 the department has been able to hire and sustain officers to fill the minimum of their staffing requirements and levels. Being minimum staffed and run does cause strain on the department and the officers as burnout can occur and everyone feels the effects on the department when one of their officers are sick or take time off.
The department’s goal is to hire two more officers in order to combat this issue and be able to successfully cover the “holes” that are created by the issue of a minimally staffed and run department.
This will ensure proper staffing around the clock even when other scheduling issues may arise. Despite a minimally run department, everyone on staff at the MPD understands that even if the department has issues, their job is to provide the community with safety and protection.
Despite negative things that may arise, the department has never let themselves be overcome by those things. Through anything the department may face or has faced, they continue to provide to the community in a positive light and will continue to be a part of the community and be involved in community events.
The MPD’s support and involvement with the community is a bridge they have sustained and will continue to in their connections with the community.
You can’t go to Montpelier without seeing the MPD. Their community involvement is something that is well noticed by all. This is something that the department has continually made a point to be involved in.
Their community is really what drives the department. Events that the MPD has consistently been a part of within the community have been: involvement at school events, conducting courses for students, speaking engagements around the community, National Night Out, Cops N Kids, Bean Days, Memorial Day, and much more!
The community continues to recognize the MPD’s involvement in all events that take place within the village. And even despite running the department with depleted staff for the majority of 2023, they still had their full-time staff dedicate another 92 hours of volunteer time of service to events.
Not to mention the department’s reserve officers who served over 1400 hours of volunteer time. Each one of those hours of volunteer time shows the overall dedication of the department and its staff. The MPD strives to always be a positive contact in the community and will continue to be one.
The bridge they continue to build between their department and the community sets them apart. They are not just another agency in the community. Rather, they are part of the community. Their evident involvement is seen from any whom are among the community.
Part of that achievement can be attributed to the department setting up their employees for success in being highly responsive to whatever situation may arise. Even in being a smaller and more rural community, the department is continually focused to serve in any capacity they can.
When it comes to how MPD helps to keep their community safe, its generated by their first goal of always being led to serve. This keeps their department’s involvement second to none.
The officers and staff at the MPD make it their job to have a positive impact on their community every day, regardless of the situations they may face.
This is starts with serving the community, whether it be on a call or in their involvement in extra services, the MPD is there for the community.
They are not led to do what they do by politics or procedures, but rather by their desire to truly be a part of the community and to serve the community they are so proud to be a part of.
One of the ways they remain involved in the community is by being present at the school. Every year around Christmas time the officers walk the hallways of the school and interact with the kids, handing out candy canes, engaging in conversations with the kids asking them what presents they think they might receive.
The officers even go into the classrooms and sing carols with the kids. It’s one of their favorite things to do any ways they remain involved.
Though their presence and interactions with the kids may leave those kids with smiles, the officers always end up leaving with smiles bigger than what they entered with as the kids brighten their day just as much.
The MPD holds high standards for their officers. From having a team philosophy to high expectations for their department, the MPD is set apart in their work product as their officers are trained in more than just being police officers.
Though the demand of service requires a focus from the officers which can be overwhelming, the additional and specialized trainings make all the difference in their service to the community.
The department has several officers who hold specializations, this keeps the MPD unique and gives them a more diverse ability to serve the community.
Currently these specializations range from Evidence Custodians, CVSA Operators, UAV Operator, Tactical Team Members, and this year they will be adding Cell Phone Analysis to the list.
The MPD wants officers who continue to learn and grow and those who can do a diversity of different things to help aid and serve the community of Montpelier in not only solving crime but also in serving the community.
Chief McGee tells those officers to be hired, “You will earn every penny you make while serving here at MPD, but you will also be a true and know you wear the badge with honor.”
Every officer at the MPD knows this rings true, and each officer, whether full-time, part-time, or reserve, know they wear their badge with honor.
Regardless of the world today, no matter the national news or politics that surround the entire police industry, the MPD will not change their expectations or philosophy.
Each officer that serves on the MPD knows that they give their best for the community of Montpelier because they deserve nothing but the best.