OTTUMWA —
By CHELSEA DAVIS
Courier staff writer
OTTUMWA — Thirty years after he stepped out as a patrol officer, Police Chief Jim Clark has announced his retirement from the Ottumwa Police Department.
Clark began his law enforcement career assigned to patrol, investigations and training on July 1, 1982.
He plans to start his retirement — which takes effect Feb. 23 — on a beach in Florida.
“We will be moving to Florida and living on the beach in Florida,” he told the Courier Thursday. “We decided that’s where we’d like to retire.”
When Clark started his career, he said it was the end of an era.
“It was the end of an era where a lot of people were hired because they were big or had just got out of the military,” he said. “I had two years’ experience from a small agency, and I think that’s how I got hired.”
Today, most of Ottumwa’s officers have college degrees. The department also puts a lot of time and money into training its officers.
“Years ago you gave a person a gun and a badge when they started, and they went out and learned on their own or from a senior officer,” he said. “Now they’re trained before they go out, or it’s been shown to be negligence if you put someone out there without being trained first.”
Over the years, the OPD has changed considerably, both in professionalism and technologically, he said.
“In the early ’80s, there was a lot of court cases that came about that changed a lot of the way law enforcement was conducted, such as how searches are conducted,” he said. “Miranda was clarified back then, too.”
Clark was promoted to sergeant in 1989 and served as supervisor of patrol, investigations, training and services. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1997 and served as professional standards division commander and services division commander. In July 2006, he was appointed acting chief of police and was made permanent chief of police in January 2007.
He said opening up the department to the community and making it more transparent has been one of his biggest achievements.
He also said starting the Citizens Police Academy, the OPD’s Facebook page, going to the Home and Garden Show and participating in the Oktoberfest parade has let the public see a different side of the department.
Clark helped obtain a $375,000 COPS Technology grant in 2010, which was used to install the downtown camera system as part of an overall crime prevention effort.
“Certainly, people have found that there is not the big concern as they first thought there was with the camera system,” he said. “The downtown camera system has been really beneficial in the number of prosecutions, and it’s helped reduce crime.”
For six years in a row, Clark said reported crime in Ottumwa has dropped. As he prepares his annual report this month regarding crime in Ottumwa in 2012, he said that trend continued.
Lt. Tom McAndrew will assume command as interim police chief until the position is filled permanently.
“His name will be presented to the City Council for their approval in an upcoming meeting,” Clark said.
The Civil Service Commission will then obtain a list of possible replacements, and once the list is certified, a person will be selected to be approved by the council.
Ottumwa
Related Photos
-
Police Chief Jim Clark
Clark retiring from OPD
Ottumwa police chief to step down Feb. 23
- Ottumwa
-
-
Staff eager for swimmers Beach Ottumwa improvements
OTTUMWA — When kids talk about the last weeks of school, one subject that often comes up is The Beach Ottumwa. It'll be ready soon, said employees. On Friday, the maintenance staff was installing the fountain heads that shoot water straight up at the
-
Community gardens gain ground
OTTUMWA -- In just one month, community gardens have begun to sprout north of Ottumwa. So far, the gardens near the Ottumwa Industrial Park feature 12 raised beds, compost and a compost tumbler, a pallet bench, three oversized tires that will contain
-
Severe weather returns to forecast
OTTUMWA — The National Weather Service believes severe weather could return to Iowa this weekend. The storms are expected to arrive late in the weekend and could extend into the next work week. Meteorologist Kurt Kotenberg said Sunday and Monday have
-
Health clinic in Ottumwa joins Mercy Medical
OTTUMWA — Though their future was uncertain, two local health care practices will continue without any interruption in services to patients and will remain at their current locations in Ottumwa. Ottumwa Internal Medicine North and Ottumwa Family Prac
-
Correctional facility will finally open in Ottumwa
OTTUMWA — It won’t be empty anymore. The “new” Ottumwa Residential Treatment Facility, a type of correctional facility, will be open and fully operational next year, reports Iowa Rep. Mary Gaskill. Last year, the building was up, but the Department o
- Remote testimony likely in Ward trial OTTUMWA – Attorneys for former Ottumwa Transit Administration director Pam Ward say they anticipate calling a witness who won't be in the courtroom, and prosecutors say they have no objections. Court documents filed in the case show the defense wants
-
Foundation's gift will change Ottumwa classrooms
OTTUMWA — It would take an investment annually until the year 2020 to get all the computers and training the Ottumwa school district wants. A gift just cut that wait in half. Monday, the Ottumwa Regional Legacy Foundation announced during a joint pre
-
Savoring sweets to save lives
Evans Middle School student council members dished out ice cream Monday afternoon in an effort to raise funds to place smoke detectors in Wapello County homes.
-
Smoke alarms credited with saving lives
OTTUMWA -- The importance of working smoke detectors was evident after a fire destroyed an Ottumwa family's home on Friday. Four adults and three children were uninjured in a blaze that ruined their home at 621 S. Sheridan Ave. at 5:51 p.m. Friday. Deputy Fire Chief Cory Benge said the house is "pretty much a total loss."
-
Hearsay won't appear in Ward trial, U.S. Attorney says
Despite defense concerns, the U.S. Attorney's office says it doesn't plan on using hearsay testimony in its case against Pam Ward, according to court documents filed Monday.
- More Ottumwa Headlines
-
Staff eager for swimmers Beach Ottumwa improvements
