Jasper Police Chief goes beyond numbers during monthly report
During Tuesday’s Jasper Board of Public Works meeting, Jasper Police Chief Chad Dick reported that officers from the department have demonstrated exceptional professionalism and service in recent weeks, handling situations ranging from uncooperative drivers to life-threatening emergencies.
Each month the board is provided with statistics regarding police activities in the city.
“Sometimes just looking at numbers doesn’t give you a bigger picture of what the officers do,” Dick told the board referring the monthly statistics the department provides. “The officers and our dispatchers are very busy serving our community, trying to make this the best place it can be.”
He took time to highlight a few incidents officers were required to handle.
On February 8, a routine traffic stop escalated when a driver refused to identify himself, forcing Officers Manson Poteep and Nick Goller to remove the individual from the vehicle. The driver faces charges of resisting law enforcement and refusal to identify themselves.
Dick notes that the prosecutor’s office later contacted the department after reviewing body camera footage and documentation to commend the officers on their professionalism and the quality of their reports.
The morning of February 13 proved particularly challenging for the department, with officers handling multiple serious incidents in rapid succession.
The day began with officers responding to information from the Spencer County Sheriff’s Department about a wanted person possibly located at Bob Luegers. Officers successfully located and arrested the subject.
As they were leaving that scene, they received an urgent call about a missing 11-month-old child. Upon arrival, officers discovered the infant had been left in a van overnight. The child was freezing but alive.
“They provided first aid to the child who was transported to Memorial,” Dick explained.
The subsequent investigation determined the parents were responsible for leaving the child in the vehicle, resulting in their arrest.
While still managing these incidents, Officer Caleb Chambers responded to a call about an unruly 9-year-old. Chambers successfully de-escalated the situation through compassionate intervention.
“He was able to talk and settle the child down with the parents there,” Dick says. “He was able to take her hand and walk her outside out to where she could be transported to Memorial Hospital for treatment.”
Shortly after this incident, the hospital reported a known felon in possession of a firearm on the premises of the hospital. Though the suspect had left before officers arrived, Officer Chambers located him at the south side McDonald’s.
Despite the suspect threatening Officer Chambers during the encounter, Chambers maintained his professionalism and took the individual into custody without further incident. The suspect was also found to be intoxicated and a habitual traffic violator.
On February 19, Sergeant Ben Knies demonstrated the department’s commitment to public safety while off duty. Overhearing a medical call about an unconscious 51-year-old with a head injury who wasn’t breathing, Knies responded with the AED in his vehicle to attempt to assist.
Though the person ultimately passed away, Dick emphasizes that Knies’s quick response provided comfort to the family, knowing everything possible had been done to save their loved one.
The department’s reputation for excellence extends beyond local boundaries. On February 25, they received a request for assistance from the Sheriff’s department in Maryville, Tennessee, regarding a theft case.
Officer Joe Chambers handled the request so effectively that Dick received a thank-you letter from the Tennessee detective the following day.
“In the 13 years of her experience, that was the best experience they’ve had with any agency when requesting assistance,” Dick reported the note saying, adding that they specifically appreciated “how friendly and fast Officer Chambers was to assist them.”
He also informed the board of a lengthy investigation by Officer Logan Brown that culminated in the arrest of an individual for dealing cocaine and other drug charges on February 28.
“That hopefully makes our community a little bit safer,” Dick added.
The chief’s report highlights the diverse challenges law enforcement faces and the importance of looking beyond statistical data to understand the full scope of police work in the community.
“I tell you all that just to tell you that sometimes just looking at numbers doesn’t give you the bigger picture of what the officers do,” Dick told the board. “The officers and our dispatchers are very busy serving our community, trying to make this the best place it can be.”
Here is the activity report provided for the board in March for February’s activities.
