2008 Woodie Awards
A Q&A with the chief
David Blow's Newsgathering and writing class
Issue date: 9/12/07 Section: News
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Q. How does Castleton get a Dodge Charger as a police cruiser?
A. Last year it was time to get rid of the car we had. Officer McNeil wanted a Dodge Charger so I convinced the select board that the Dodge Charge was the best thing for the money. It came in at the highest bid. I've driven it once.
Q. How did you get your start in police work?
A. I was a high school drop out and then a mechanic at 16. I decided I didn't need to go to school. A few years later I became friends with some of the officers from the city police and became a dispatcher. I went and got my G.E.D. and then my college degree. Charlie Spoon, the chief at the time, had referred me to the police academy. I left the city 23 years later as a lieutenant.
Q. What has been your most enjoyable experience on the police force?
A. We had a missing 6-year old. I was assigned to the case and we worked through the day into the early evening hours and used the media to get the information out. The child had gotten closed into a refrigerator. People called in and we found out that he had been seen playing in the back yard. We found him still alive. That was real positive.
Q. Have you ever stopped a crime before it happened?
A. I caught a guy with burglary tools and based on the time of night and location we charged him and the case stuck.
Q. What is your biggest fear as a cop?
A. Making a mistake that will get me hurt. As a cop you can never let your guard down. In a place like Castleton where crime is minimal, you may be tempted to let your guard down, but just because it's a small town doesn't mean its safe. You could stop a car on a highway and you don't know it's a guy who just killed a trooper. You walk up to the window, say 'how's it going' and bang! Any cop that tells you he has never been afraid, he's lying.
Q. Have you ever seen the movie "Super Troopers" and do you get along with state troopers?
A. I get along very well with state police and have seen Super Troopers. Other than a good laugh, that's all I got out of it. When we're out in the field we might as well be wearing the same colors.
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