In his year-end report on the Hastings Police Department to the Hastings City Council Monday, Chief Jeff Pratt focused on the department’s relationship with the community it serves and protects.

 

He said in 2018 the department, “made big strides with getting to know the community a little better,” with events like National Night Out, basketball and football games where is it is “Cops vs Teachers” or “Cops vs Cadets” to raise money for students with health problems, Halloween night on Green Street where they give out hundreds of suckers and gallons of hot chocolate, or 20 turkey dinners delivered to families that can use a little extra help during the holidays.

 

The department’s Police Ambassadors, Police Cadets and Reserve Officers are heavily involved in community events, volunteering and serving without pay.

“I would like to think that the Hastings Police Department can find a way to touch our citizens in some positive way with the number of people we have associated with our department and the activities that we are involved with.”

 

Pratt said the Barry Roubaix bike race, Macker basketball tournament, Summerfest, Thornapple Plaza events, Jingle & Mingle and all the parades as areas where the police department works with the Department of Public Services and builds relationships with the community. A liaison officer in Hastings schools is getting to know the youth of the community and has many friendships with staff and students

 

“It is my feeling that if the police department can build a solid relationship with the community, the community will trust the police department and actually help the police protect the life and property of the citizens,” Pratt said.

 

Some figures: The department has a staff of 41, the nine reserve officers have logged 1,379.5 hours, and there are eight cadets, seven ambassadors, and five new officers.

The department handled 7,041 complaints in 2018.