Chief’s Desk for Valley Mills

 

December 2022 Monthly Statistics & Situational Report

NIBRS Uniformed Crime Report is Completed & Submitted to DPS for December 2022 with zero errors.

December 2022 Calls for Service & Comparative Analysis:  

December 2022 involved 94 VMPD Calls for Service in comparison to November’s 121 CFS.

1 year ago, in December of 2021 – VMPD recorded 173 Calls for Service

and 2 years ago in December of 2020, VMPD accounted for 37 calls for service.

The month of December involved; a total of 148-recorded events compared to last month’s reported activity of 216 recorded events.  

Racial Profiling Report Submitted and Accepted by DPS for Y2022.

Traffic Enforcement:

During the Month of December 2022, VMPD initiated traffic stops that resulted in 36-records of documented traffic enforcement pro-activity.   

Month in Review:

December 2022 was a tough month logistically for the VMPD.  We endured a good part of the month with being down an officer who was out on paternity leave, and then a second officer when our SRO Dianna Sanchez gave notice and served her last day at the VMISD as school let out for the Christmas Break.  Our fleet was cut in half when both Ford Interceptors lost their transmission transfer cases less than 1 week apart.  We rotated the two Tahoe’s between officers as soon as one of the Tahoe’s (Unit 8) returned from getting a radiator replaced.  Despite the obstacles, we squeaked by and all of us had a very Merry Christmas after all.

Read more: Chief’s Desk for Valley Mills

At the end of the month, we received a commitment from George Krompart to participate in our hiring process to become a full-time officer with VMPD.  We would normally wait until the next meeting to cover down on the outcome of his process, but as you can see, he is here with us this evening in full uniform.  George was hired on January 16th, 2023.  He is a US Marine Staff Sergeant (Honorably Discharged after nearly a decade of service) and a 5-year veteran Corrections Officer who also has over 3 years’ experience as a Peace Officer.  George will complement the VMPD Team very well and we are super proud to have him.   

On January 2nd, 2023, 13 million people from across the nation thought they were going to witness a Monday night football game, but ended up at a prayer meeting.  24-year-old DeMar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills collapsed on the field, his heart had stopped, and we were told that he died on the field while medics worked on him.  While medics worked on him, America had a prayer meeting.  Millionaires who were on that field knew at that time no amount of money could fix DeMar’s heart.  But praying to God can. 

Here are three things that I learned from Monday night football.

#1.  Money can’t fix our nation, only prayer can.  Millionaire athletes fell to their knees because that’s what their heart told them.  The richest and most powerful people in the world need help and the bottom line is we need God. 

#2.  I learned this.  When it comes to life and death, all the laws that man has made to keep prayer and God out are all out the door.  When those people started praying, no one thought about ESPN, NFL or the FCC, not even the Supreme Court; they said we need God right now at this moment.  That’s what happened.  ESPN Commentator, Dan Norvoski on live TV said, “I know we are talking about praying, but I’d like to pray right now.”  and he started to pray, and he said, God we come to you, and we believe you are God, we pray for healing for DeMar cause you’re the only one that can heal him.

#3.  And thirdly, I realized that our nation could be brought to their knees in one single moment.  But what happens is this, when a nation stops listening to God, God will find a way to get our attention.  Now I know, I’m not supposed to discuss what is said in the City of Valley Mills Executive Sessions.  But I will reveal what happened at the end of our last one.  These councilmen, led by Councilman and Pastor Craig Godby prayed a declaration unto God that we would find the way to come together to work for the greater good of Valley Mills.  The newspapers reported that I walked out of the Executive Session smiling.  It was true, because I knew that declaration crafted through a fervent prayer, was offered as the beginning of something very special that would come to pass here in Valley Mills just like it did on Monday Night Football.  I believed it then, and I believe it now. 

Where I previously retired from, just about everyone in Government was on the payroll.  Expectations were high and, in my opinion, sometimes unreasonable.  Each of our councilmen, much like me, have chosen different careers at one time or another or have worked enough to retire or despite retirement, still keep working to provide for their families.  The service and expectations of a Mayor and City Councilman I have witnessed to be similarly high.  More often than not, I believe it’s been a thankless job at times.   It can be a tough job and the men we have serving on council do it to provide for this community.  One of the biggest differences I see and I’m not sure all the critics ever take into consideration is that each one serves to do it for free.

Although the sun is setting on my time here with the city, I’m not going far and the City of Valley Mills will be in great hands with dedicated officers who want nothing but a safe, united, and happy Valley Mills.  This City Secretary, Chelsy Phillips and Water Clerk, Emily Hamill, are making a positive difference in this community.  Mike Blassingame and Jason Campbell are two dedicated men who have embraced a daunting task of keeping approximately 1300 folks in clear water and clean sanitation.  They worked the holidays just like us. In some cases, more than us.  I have never heard any of them complain about the conditions.  They just do their jobs and at the end of the day, they just like us want to continue making Valley Mills great in 2023.