Chief eyes ways to better SPD for community

Chief Terry Nichols knew even before he took over as the head of the Seguin Police Department that he was inheriting a good force already responsible for doing good things in the community.

Of course, Nichols said recently, things could be better. And it is his job to facilitate that progress.

He is up for the task but doesn’t expect to need to change much, Nichols said.

“We will keep doing what we’re doing,” he said. “I was told that before I got here. (Interim Chief Russell ‘Rusty’ Pancoast) said, ‘You’ve got a great staff.’ That’s absolutely true.”

Fresh start

Nichols was hired as the police chief after the city’s three month search, and he took over running the department in late April.

The police department was left without leadership late last year when the former police chief resigned, the deputy chief retired and a police captain resigned. Then-Human Resources Director Tammy Garcia was a part of the team that conducted a search for the new chief.

“We were looking for someone who was of course very well qualified and interested in becoming a very active member of our community, in addition to helping the police department grow and assisting in that department meeting the needs of our growing community,” said Garcia, who retired at the end of May. “The department had been without a chief for several months. We wanted to bring someone in who could take over and be a long-term leader for the department.”

She believes Nichols was the right person for the job thanks to his education and experience. His ability to foster helpful relationships with leadership of other area law enforcement agencies could be an asset and she foresees Nichols being a stabilizing force for the Seguin Police Department, Garcia said.

With about three months as chief under his belt, Nichols said he will need a bit more time and effort to determine exactly where the city police department is in terms of its greatest strengths and weaknesses.

However, he has an outline of some changes he wants to see in the near future.

Armed with a list of goals outlined on a looseleaf sheet of paper, Nichols provided his vision and details on things he has learned so far about SPD.

Departmental outlook

Number one on the list is ensuring the office is fully staffed, Nichols said.

As budgeted, the department’s sworn officers contingent should be as high as 59. Currently, the department is a few off the mark. He has a handful of officers in training with other officers, which will help to increase the amount of protection the department offers, Nichols said.

But even after those officers are fully trained and patrolling the streets on their own, he still will be down about another handful of sworn officers, the chief said. And that just won’t do for his top goal.

“I want us to be the go-to agency in this area,” Nichols said. “Part of that is letting people know this is a great city to work for.”

Another part is giving officers the tools they need to excel, he said. In that vain, the department is working on improving the quality and routine use of technology, Nichols said.

SPD plans to roll out a body-camera program in coming months, possibly acquire license plate recognition cameras and attempt to upgrade the radio system along with other city departments, Nichols said.

Getting back to standards that slightly dipped following the leadership change will help the department retain its recognition by the Texas Police Chief’s Association, which definitely is in the plans, the chief said.

He wants prospective hires, law enforcers at other agencies, people in this community and people in other communities to see Seguin Police Department as the best around, Nichols said. He said that means having well-trained officers backed by a support system that wants nothing but their success.

The support will help officers provide exceptional service to the community.

Supporting the department’s spokeswoman Officer Tanya Brown, public information and crime prevention officer, and her efforts to effectively use social media to engage with the public is an important part of his top goals, Nichols said.

Intensifying the training members of the department go through is a second major objective on his list, Nichols said.

With his past experience being heavily devoted to training, there’s no wonder the chief would make improved training a top goal.

Previously in his career, Nichols was the assistant director and founding member for the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) program at Texas State University. ALERRT is a program that trains law enforcement for active shooter incidents.

He wants to coordinate with other area agencies, including police departments, fire departments and hospitals in the county on ways of working together to minimize the affects should a mass-shooting or similar incident occur, Nichols said.

The plan is to start with his department in coming weeks, when he will begin offering some level of refresher training now and at least annually to make sure everyone’s on the same page, Nichols said.

Community policing

Another goal is to establish by some time next year a Missing Kids Readiness program. In such a program, all members of the department would be trained on policies and procedures of handling missing children’s cases in Seguin, the chief said.

“I love the fact that we’re getting training before something happens,” Brown said in response to Nichols’ stated commitment to the program. “We’re not waiting until something happens and then responding.”

Community policing and gaining a good grasp of how the community perceives the department also is important, Nichols said. SPD already does a good job of interacting with the community and will continue to do as good a job and hopefully even better, he said.

He plans to continue with the department’s five, signature events: the annual Cinderella Ball, National Night Out, Safe House for Halloween, Blue Santa and Badges, Bikes and Tykes.

Beyond those programs, he hopes he and others in the department will continue to talk with members of the community, engage with people from all corners of the city and foster a respectful working relationship with all stakeholders, Nichols said.

His leadership and the decisions he makes can carry a lot of weight and be instrumental in the future success of not only his department but for the entire city of Seguin, Nichols said. He and his department play a fundamental role in Seguin’s economic development, the chief said.

“When a company is choosing between Seguin, Texas, and some other community competing for their corporate headquarters, the police department plays a direct role in those decisions,” he said. “When you’re recognized by the professional police chiefs, have new equipment, are known for treating people with dignity and respect, and your crime rate is not out of control, these are things people look at when they decide they want to relocate.”

Taking on the needs of the growing community and helping with that growth are tall tasks but Nichols said he’s up for the challenge.

Dalondo Moultrie is the assistant managing editor of the Seguin Gazette. You can e-mail him at dalondo.moultrie@seguingazette.com .

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