Mr. Woodward, as a resident of Winona Lake I was very disappointed to read your article about the Winona Lake Police Department. I am having trouble understanding why a man who lives in Warsaw would talk so negatively about another town's police department. I have concerns that several important facts have been left out from your letter.
Since my brother and several of my friends work for the Winona Lake Police Department, I called them to help me fill in the blanks, so the residents of Winona Lake could have all the facts.
To begin with, Winona Lake Police Department is one of only four departments throughout Kosciusko County that provides 24-hour coverage to the town residents. Many other communities rely on the Sheriff's Department to fill in the gaps. With that said, there are a number of reasons why you might see a Winona Lake police officer working outside of Winona Lake. They may be assisting another agency, working Seatbelt Enforcement, DUI Patrol or Aggressive Driving; all programs the state pays for. Almost all agencies throughout the county take part in these programs because it provides officers with additional income when the town cannot afford to give them raises or to pay overtime. Officers work these patrols on their days off, so the town is never without an officer. I feel the minimal resources that it costs the town (the mileage/fuel and wear/tear of cars Mr. Woodward spoke of) are a small price to pay for the safety that the additional officers on the streets offers all who live in Winona Lake and Kosciusko County.
As for Mr. Woodward's concerns of positive presence in Winona Lake, I have witnessed the officers working hard to turn the perception of the department around from previous years. Winona Lake started its bicycle program in 1997 with two officers riding when they could.
In the last two years the department has equipped two cars with bike racks to allow the officers to ride more while still keeping a police car close for emergencies. Winona Lake Police Department was also the first agency in Kosciusko County that you could follow on Facebook and Twitter and they are one of two car seat fitting stations in Kosciusko County.
Mr. Woodward, it may also help you to understand that research has shown that active traffic enforcement is a large factor in low crime rate. Departments who practice heavy traffic enforcement generally have low crime rates; and again I assure you the Winona Lake police are proud of the low crime rate in this town. These police officers also do not pull over vehicles for out of state plates, they only pull over vehicles for traffic violations. However, Winona Lake is the home of a college and the Village of Winona Lake is a draw for tourists, so it is not uncommon that these violators may have out-of-state plates.
I encourage Winona Lake residents to stop in the police department and ask to do a ride along so you can see first hand what these officers do for your community. You can also learn more about the department by going to winonalakepd.com
Kari Chappell
Winona Lake, via e-mail
Note: This letter was edited to conform more closely to the 500-word limit stated in our "Letters Policy."
