Perkins police 2021 year in review

PERKINS TWP. — Here at the Perkins Township Police Department, we thought we would be able to get back to the normal behavior we are used to. As we navigated through the year 2021, we found that COVID-19 was not going away so we looked for different ways to try and get back to normal business. We continued to answer calls for service and provide the same services that we did in the past along with the challenges of dealing with COVID-19. We had to overcome staffing issues, like having a few senior officers retire, and we lost a few officers to larger departments. This turnover created a challenge for me. Trying to hire officers in a climate where police are being depicted in a negative light is not an easy task. It also created a challenge for our first-line supervisors, who were tasked with more administrative duties while trying to balance other supervisor duties. I believe collectively, as a department, we navigated through the year with the pandemic and staffing issues professionally and safely while still providing valuable services to the community through community policing. As we reviewed our staffing levels and needs of the department, it was determined that our current source of funding for the police department needed to be increased. After several discussions with the board of trustees, it was agreed to place a new levy on the ballot. We had another setback when the auditor released an update on home valuations prior to the election. The board of trustees passed a resolution to only collect taxes on the amount that was certified prior to the updated home values. We were able to educate our citizens by having meetings, officers traveling door-to-door and mailing out flyers. We received the community's support on Nov. 2 when they approved this additional levy. Another success of the police department was being able to solve the armed robbery at the First Federal Bank of Ohio. Officers were able to identify a suspect in a matter of days with the assistance of a local business that provided us a video. I'm proud to say that the suspect is in custody and will be held accountable for his actions. We participated in many community events in 2021 including our annual Easter egg hunt, township movie nights, Founders' Day, and Touch-a-Truck. We hosted our annual Motor Madness Car & Bike Show and were able to donate $3,000 in scholarship funds. We also had a record-breaking attendance for our Trunk-or-Treat event that was held at the Erie County Fairgrounds. We finished the year with our annual food and toy drive, and Shop with a Hero event. As we enter the new year, I look to increase staffing which will allow me to restructure the police department. We currently operate with a chief and three sergeants as our command staff. We will continue our community policing efforts and focus on the not only the youth but the senior citizens in our community. Finally, I want to commend the men and women that work at the Perkins Township Police Department. They are dedicated to providing the highest quality of service to the residents and visitors of Perkins Township, and I am proud to be their chief.