Coffee with the Chief is a chance for Hastings residents to bring their concerns to Police Chief Jeff Pratt and get an answer. At Wednesday’s coffee, a resident brought up a concern about the crosswalk at Hanover and Grand, and Pratt will see if a school crossing guard can be moved to that location.
The meeting also lets Pratt update residents on police activities, including the department's latest project, the Ambassador program. The concept is to make Hastings an even friendlier place for visitors during events in town. Ambassadors will circulate in the city, helping with directions, information and in general being “cheerleaders” for Hastings.
They will start small, an approach that worked well with setting up the successful Hastings Police Cadet program, and build on the base, Pratt said. The first Ambassador, Dave McIntyre, and five to 10 more ambassadors, will be trained in basic first aid, how to be good observers, and when and who to call, if needed.
The unpaid volunteers will represent “both the police department and the city, as a whole…will not have any police powers and will not carry weapons,” he said.
Details will be finalized shortly and Pratt hopes to have ambassadors circulating in the city for the annual Christmas Parade, part of the “Mingle and Jingle” celebration in early December. //
Pratt gave updates on Smart 911, the annual leaf pickup starting Nov. 14, the school liaison program, the new code enforcement officer and the annual 2 a.m.to 6 a.m. parking ban.
Assistant Chief Dale Boulter reported the department, now up to full strength, provides coverage on three shifts, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with two officers a shift. Friday, their busiest day, has three officers on duty. Officers are “extremely busy,” and have handled 6,000 calls so far this year, Boulter said. He expects that number to reach 8,000 by the end of the year.
Pratt said officers are now handing out warnings to residents who park on city streets between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., an annual ban to allow city employees to plow snow overnight.
“In a week, it will be real,” he cautioned.
