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Peculiar City chief outlines staffing gains, new detective unit and camera upgrades
Summary
At a special Peculiar City meeting, Police Chief/City Administrator Mister Shepherd detailed growth from 10 to 17 full‑time officers, plans for a detective unit and a yearly vehicle‑replacement program, plus new Axon body/car cameras and Flock intersection cameras to aid investigations.
Mister Shepherd, who said he now fills a dual role as Police Chief and City Administrator, told the Peculiar City board at a special meeting that the department has expanded and is upgrading equipment to improve investigations and officer safety.
Shepherd said the department has grown from 10 officers when he started four-plus years ago to 17 full‑time officers and one reserve, and that three officers are currently in the academy and expected to finish in December. "We've gotten that up now to a a sworn full time strength of 17 ... and 1 reserve officer," he said. He added that recruits will move into field training for about two‑and‑a‑half to three months after academy graduation.
The chief described several planned organizational changes: the creation of a formal investigations unit in October, promotion of Sgt. Blake Chalmers to detective sergeant, and hiring a full‑time detective to work proactively on cases and handle school resource officer responsibilities. "We'll be adding investigations unit and have, you know, full time, detectives that'll be able to to work some cases proactively instead of always reacting," Shepherd said.
Shepherd also reviewed technology and fleet plans. The department consolidated body and in‑car cameras onto an all‑Axon system to allow seamless integration and live‑view access for dispatch. "Everything's Axon. Everything integrates seamlessly," he said. He described adding Flock camera systems at problem intersections to help crash and crime investigations but emphasized they are for investigative use, not traffic enforcement.
On fleet management, Shepherd said the capital improvements program now includes a vehicle‑replacement plan to retire one patrol vehicle per year so cars do not become overly aged. One vehicle has been outfitted and returned; others are delayed by parts shortages. He said a new Tahoe will be ordered after Oct. 1 under the replacement program.
Shepherd outlined training needs for detectives, noting some instruction can be provided in‑house but that specialized courses such as crime scene school run multiple weeks: "The crime scene school itself is 3 weeks long. It's it's very intensive," he said. He also invited board volunteers to help with operational tasks such as driving vehicles to upfitters to reduce officer downtime.
On employee wellness, Shepherd said city employees have access to an employee assistance program that provides six free counseling sessions, and the sheriff's office has a psychiatrist/psychologist who has supported the department during critical incidents.
Shepherd noted fiscal timing that affects these changes: the budget requires two readings in September and takes effect Oct. 1, and the city received a "Blue Shield city" designation that makes it eligible for about $50,000 in grant funding next year. "We were eligible for, dollars 50,000 in grant funding in the coming year," he said.
The presentation closed with reminders about community outreach and an upcoming Harvest Moon Festival downtown Oct. 25, where police and city booths will seek volunteers.
The board did not take formal action on Shepherd's proposals during the meeting; Shepherd said several items (vehicle orders, hires, and training enrollments) will proceed under normal administrative and budget processes.
