Chief Collins Talks Shop
(Crystal A. Proxmire)
With two months under his belt as acting Police Chief and a week after Council made the position official, Ferndale Police Chief Timothy Collins is only surprised by one thing...
“When this was Chief Kitchen’s office we used to poke fun and say who knows what the Chief is doing back there, but now I know,” Collins said. “E mail flows like water, the phone never stops ringing. The political end of it is amazing – interacting with council members, coordinating with other police departments, being out in the field and interacting with the public. There’s a lot that goes into being Chief that I didn't really appreciate before. I’m a real hands on kind of guy so I’m getting used to delegating responsibilities.”
The biggest challenge Collins faces as Chief is figuring out how to do more with less. The Department recently lost ten officers due to budget cuts, and an uncertain financial future for the City means that one of Collins’ tasks will be analyzing things like internal work-flows to maximize efficiency. “We’re looking at what responsibilities can be pushed down to the lowest possible ranks,” he said. He explained that outside initiatives can help, but only in limited ways.
Auxiliary Assistance. Several individuals have stepped up to serve in the Police Auxiliary, which is the volunteer crew that helps the police with non-police duties such as traffic and crowd control. Members of the Auxiliary volunteer their time and pay for much of their own equipment. “We value what the Auxiliary does, but we don’t want to put any more on them. It’s one of those things that is essential for special events, but they’re limited in what they can do and they still require uniformed supervision.” Collins said the Department isn’t ready to take on more Auxiliary at this time. “As much as we like volunteerism, we have about twenty now in the program, and that’s a stable number.”
Neighborhood Watch and Block Clubs. In the 1980s and early ‘90s Neighborhood Watch and Block Clubs were at their peak in the city. Once he gets settled in, Collins hopes to rejuvenate those programs. “They were very successful in the past, and in this day and age the more help we get from citizens the better. Block Clubs and Neighborhood Watch can make citizens feel safe, knowing that their neighbors are looking out for them.” For programs like those to be successful, the Department will have to seek out community organizers and possible corporate partnerships. Anyone interested in helping organize these programs can contact The Ferndale Police Non-Emergency Number - 248-546-2388.
Traffic Control Detail. One solution to budget problems that was suggested during the most recent budget process was that of assigning a dedicated traffic control detail. The common understanding is that by having an officer focus on writing tickets it will increase revenue to the department. “That gets a little misrepresented in the media,” Collins said. “It’s not a cut and dry way to raise money. When we have less officers on the road handling the same amount of calls, it means there is less time to make traffic stops. Dedicated traffic duty isn’t about the money, it’s a by-product of a reduced force. You don’t want to abdicate responsibility for traffic enforcement, yet you still have to make calls for service a priority. A dedicated traffic detail would bring us back up to the enforcement levels of before the layoffs. Otherwise ticket revenue will be lower than before.”
Other than the financial issues, Collins has taken the lead on public relations issues.
County Cooperation. In the months preceding Collin’s promotion to Chief, The Ferndale Police Department was involved in a dispute with the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office over communications and warrant requests. (http://www.ferndale115.com/19p8police.html). Collins said that those problems have been resolved. “Communication with the County is not a problem any more. I called the Chief of Warrants and got a meeting with him and the Prosecutor within a week. Everything was professional and we resolved all our issues. The limited number of contacts we’ve had since, the County has been very helpful. It’s a relationship that is important to everyone involved.”
Last week Oakland County Drug Enforcement officers performed a sting operation in Ferndale, where they raided a medical marijuana clinic. (http://www.ferndale115.com/20100826clinic.html). The Ferndale Police had nothing to do with the raid, except for the fact that a uniformed police officer was present to monitor the raid and to assure the public that the raid was conducted by police officers and not just men with masks.
“There was a lot of talk about the masks, and how ‘intimidating’ they are,” Collins said. “But those are undercover drug officers who need to have their identity protected. They go into all kinds of situations to make drug buys. It endangers their lives if they are recognized. I used to do undercover work, so I understand why that’s important.” The Ferndale officer on the scene was not part of the undercover work or the investigation, and the County is responsible for all prosecutions in the case.
Press Relations. Chief Collins says the Department remains committed to sharing information with the public and the media. Lt. William Wilson is the Public Relations contact for the Department. He sends out press releases and handles questions.
School Resource Officer. The School Resource Officer is an important part of both crime control and community relations. The SRO, Keith Thibedeau, works inside Ferndale High School and Middle School during the school year, and the Department gets him in the summer. The School District pays half his salary. “He’s a great example of building relationships. When kids break the law and they live in the District, we have options. A lot of them are adjudicated with Ferndale Youth Assistance, so they can get help and learn from their mistakes so things don’t have to go on their record. It doesn’t always work, but we like to give them chances. As financial times get tighter the SRO position gets brought up as one to go, and I hope that doesn’t happen. His presence prevents crime, and teaches young people that they can trust the police.”
Other Programs. The Department will also continue programs that help the public like the Bike Rodeo and Police Auctions. Collins is also working with the City on the noise ordinance issue, the Complete Streets initiative and giving police input on the zoning regulations behind the incoming medical marijuana facilities. All of this on top of managing the police force and making sure that all calls for service get the attention they deserve.
Local Guy. Chief Collins is a native Ferndalian, a graduate of Ferndale High School, and the President of The Eagles Nest, a booster club that raises money for football for grades 7 through varsity. He is the son of a Ferndale Police officer and has been with the department for 33 years. His wife Katrina sits on the School Board of Directors and they have three children in the District.
Retirement Party. Chief Michael Kitchen, who retired at the end of June (http://www.ferndale115.com/20100704kitchen.html), will be having a Retirement Party at Boogie Fever on Sept. 9, 2010 from 6-9pm. The $30 ticket cost will help raise money for the Police Officers Association. To purchase a ticket please e mail Tiffani Gagne at tifgagne@gmail.com
Thank you to Dino’s Lounge for being the sponsor of our Police Report section. Visit their website at www.dinoslounge.com. For more police stories go to www.ferndale115.com/policereport.html.
