Ronan police department celebrates achievements, full staff
Pictured left to right are Ronan Police Department Officers Brandon Smith, Trevor Sheridan, Corey White, Police Chief Kenneth Weaver, Jason Acheson and Reserve Officer Robert Stentz. White has since accepted a position with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Acheson resigned. Two officers are currently training while a third will be sworn in next month. (Photo courtesy of Ronan Police Department)
RONAN POLICE Chief Kenneth Weaver (file photo)
The Ronan Police Department will have a lot of things to celebrate throughout 2018.
Chief Ken Weaver confirmed that in February, the department will have five officers patrolling the roads, along with three reserve officers.
Ronan, Weaver said, sprawls out about two square miles with approximately 1,900 residents.
“They’re (the officers) are out there, being proactive and making citizen contacts, helping people that need help,” Weaver said, adding that officers sometimes make connections in the community, leading to tips of drug use.
As recently as Jan. 14, RPD posted on its Facebook page an incident in which a suspicious car parked outside of a business lead to a drug arrest.
Several small bags of methamphetamine and other narcotic-related items were discovered.
The suspect was arrested on felony charges and booked into the Lake County Jail.
“That’s just one” of the multiple drug-related arrests made within the city, Weaver said, adding that the department is working on keeping Ronan safe for citizens and visitors.
Adding that he doesn’t post every apprehension on social media, Weaver said he does “sprinkle” some of the bigger incidents.
“We’re actively out there trying to find drugs and keep them off the street,” he said.
Closer to late spring, the department will have another officer helping to thwart drug use when Officer Brandon Smith picks out a puppy and begins training for a K9 unit.
The dog will be trained to sniff out narcotics as well as apprehend suspects.
The kennel that the Montana Highway Patrol uses for its K9 program will be the same that RPD will use, located in Pennsylvania.
Since the pup will be used for the community, Weaver said that once Smith chooses a match, there will be a campaign for the community to help pick out a name.
Smith and the dog will complete six weeks of training before they start to patrol the streets, Weaver said.
To help make communication easier within the department as officers patrol, Weaver said RPD was awarded a grant from the Lake County Office of Emergency Management.
That grant helped the department obtain six portable radios for full-time officers and six mobile radios for patrol cars.
The 12 radios amounted to approximately $37,000, Weaver said.
Up until recently, he said that each car had a different radio system.
“Every single patrol car will look the same as far as the equipment goes,” he said.
Weaver explained that building a positive relationship with youngsters helps teach children to not be afraid of law enforcement as well as getting his officers “out of their comfort zone.”
The department has been participating with students at K.W. Harvey, reading stories to students and doing presentations. “Now they look forward to it,” he said.
Weaver also shared that the department has a community policing grant, which will allow one of the tenured officers to work with residents to address neighborhood problems.
Going forward, the department will also launch an anti-bullying and anti-drugs campaign for the school district.
The Ronan Police Officers Association is “up and running,” which Weaver said is a way to give back to the community.
The department is trying to show another side to law enforcement besides enforcing rules, he said.
“We’re more than just police officers who work, we’re giving back to the community,” Weaver said.
The Ronan Police Department can be found online at http://www.cityofronan.com/departments/police-department/ and www.facebook.com/ronanpolicedepartment/