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Holbrook Police Chief Nathan Christensen has settled into the job after eight months on the job and has lined out some priorities for the year for his department.
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“Right now the goal is to get fully staffed but that’s been difficult because we haven’t been getting qualified applicants,” he said. Currently the department has one position still open. There are 11 officers including Christensen and the administrative sergeant, leaving nine patrol officers working eight-hour shifts. Cadet Mark Saxton has seven weeks left at the academy and according to Christensen is ranked second in the class.
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The department has moved to eight hour shifts for better customer service. “Otherwise you work three days and then you’re off for four days. You don’t provide good customer service if you can’t provide follow-up on a case because you’re gone for four days, and you lose track of where you are in a case. Eights also aren’t as hard on the body,” explained Christensen.
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Goals for the year include developing a command structure. “Right now it’s just me and the sergeants at this point. So we’re going to test for lieutenant in August. The testing process would include a written assignment, oral board and practical assignment. There would be an independent board handling the process to ensure that no bias is involved,” noted Christensen.
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The Chief is also going to start a reserve program for the department. The reserve officers selected would be required to work 16 hours each month. “It would fill in vacancies and help when people call in sick. Especially for events like parades it would provide extra people.” Reserve officers get a uniform allowance and are allowed to carry a firearm but no pay or benefits. These officers are already certified and have left the field but by becoming a reserve, maintain their certification. “They will go through the whole background process and have to go through a short field training process with us,” added Christensen.
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Christensen is also going to start recruiting for the volunteer program. Currently Doyce Stuart is the only volunteer and provides a great service. “He can assist with traffic control on accidents and serve as a backup officer for non-violent situations. He patrols school zones driving a truck with a light on it. It slows people down even though he doesn’t have enforcement but can radio in if there is a problem.”
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Becoming a volunteer would involve a background check and would exclude felons or individuals with violent misdemeanors. These are unarmed volunteers but they do receive a uniform.
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Christensen has applied for a grant for several new patrol cars, which he should find the results from in July. Two vehicles he calls “swing cars” have over 100,000 miles on them and are not in very good shape and are used by the administrative sergeant. But the Dodge Chargers are also getting high mileage. “I asked for some cars in the upcoming budget and couldn’t get any. They’re going to set aside $30,000 for a car but that really just buys you a shell without the equipment,” said Christensen.
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The last time cars were purchased was in 2016 and those were purchased with grant funds. The funds raised from the recent sale of old vehicles including the hummers went into the general fund and not to the police department.
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The Chief noted that the building is also getting some improvements. With the front of the building, including the fire department section, to be repainted and the fascia to be replaced with metal. The rain gutters along the side of the building needs to be replaced as some water damage has been discovered.
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Regarding crime in the community, the majority of the crimes involve shoplifting, domestic violence and alcohol related offenses. Christensen has noted an increase in reported sex crimes lately and says its usually the result of the economy or the transient population. He noted that the number of intoxicated persons in the community will likely increase now that the warmer weather is back. “We’re going to try to make sure they are not oversold to. It’s difficult because sometimes there’s a group and the least intoxicated person will be sent to buy alcohol for all of them. We just try to move them on. It’s not illegal to be intoxicated but it is illegal to drink in public.” He noted that the department gets a lot of calls of inebriated persons being in the park but it’s not illegal for them to be there while the park is open. “They can’t be creating a disturbance in the park or passed out but they can sleep in the shade. If it’s a problem we can have CBI (Community Bridges) pick them up or move them along,” stated Christensen.
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Although Holbrook doesn’t have as serious a drug problem as some of the surrounding areas, methamphetamines is the one that is the most prevalent. There was also an incident involving acid that was ingested at the high school dormitory in December that is still under investigation.
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Chief Christensen is proud of his department and says a priority is for his officers to be visible and out talking to the public. “Going out to the open businesses and making contact on a daily basis. Do a business check and talk to the clerks. I’m a stickler for accountability and doing your job to the best of your ability and completing your job and not just showing up and checking the boxes. They work hard and we’re doing good.”
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