Thursday, April 01, 1999
New chief aims to restore trust
BY DAVID ECK
Enquirer Contributor
CARLISLE — Dan Chilton is only Carlisle's interim police chief, but he doesn't want that to keep him from making a lasting imprint on the village's beleaguered police department.
“(Village officials) want someone to begin the process now of the transition to gaining the respect of the community, to implementing any plans, any programs that are out there that have been discussed,” Chief Chilton said. “I don't really find any obstacles in my way because they expect it. I'm going to treat it as if I am the actual chief, and I am for three months.”
Chief Chilton, who retired as Milford's police chief in 1997, began the Carlisle job on Monday. He will earn $5,000 a month under an initial three-month contract.
Job No. 1 for the new chief: restoring the community's trust in a department that has been rocked by a string of problems that led to the resignations last week of Chief Gary Long and Sgt. Brad Fogle. It was revealed they vandalized the home of former Village Manager Eric Levitt in 1995.
Also last week, Lt. John Perry, who was serving as acting chief, was suspended with pay after Franklin police charged him with driving under the influence.
“We understand why (residents) may have some confidence issues right now,” Chief Chilton said. “We will prove to them, in time, that they have an excellent, outstanding police department.
“It's going to take showing them we are sincere and we mean what we're saying. We have high standards and we're going to do everything to prove our excellence to them. And I think we can do that.”
To that end, the chief plans to encourage officers to pursue their own new ideas.
“If they're willing to go forward and I'm willing as their current chief to support them and allow them to be creative, innovative, to empower them to do certain things, I'm going to do that,” he said.
Carlisle officers, who acknowledge that morale has been shaken, said Chief Chilton has been positive and is motivated. They are encouraged by his early actions.
“We're here to work together as a team,” Officer Tim Boggess said. “It's our department. He's here to get it back on track.”
The new chief also wants to implement such programs as community-oriented policing, a regular bike patrol and possibly pursuing national accreditation.
He wants the department to be visible and be part of the community. On Tuesday, he started visiting businesses and introducing himself.
“He's always trying to implement plans for community policing and community development,” said Milford Police Chief Stan Doughman, who worked under Chief Chilton in that Clermont County city. “He's a very structured chief. He crosses the t's and dots the i's and he follows policy.”
Chief Doughman was not surprised to hear that his old boss popped up in Carlisle.
“I don't think he'll ever fully retire from the profession,” Chief Doughman said. “I think he'll do a fine job at Carlisle. Given the circumstances, it's not going to be an easy task for anyone.”
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