By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Back when Justin White was a new police officer on patrol in Bowling Green, he would carry a notebook for “if I’m ever in charge, this is what I’m going to do” ideas.
Twenty-four years later, White will be sworn in as the city’s new police chief on Monday evening at the City Council meeting. His plans are consistent with his core beliefs inspired by his predecessors – community policing, offering officer training opportunities, and providing the best cost-effective technology. He plans to focus on those while undergoing a major renovation of the century-old police station downtown.
White has been the deputy chief under Tony Hetrick, who retired Friday, for nine years. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Tiffin University in 1999, being selected to study abroad for one semester in London.
“It opened my eyes up to the bigger world,” he said.
White loved the relationships that police officers on foot patrols had with those they served. “Everybody knew ‘Officer Smith.’ I liked that community atmosphere.”
White then returned to Tiffin to get his master’s degree in forensic psychology, which has played a big role in his policing beliefs.
In 2001, he landed at Bowling Green Police Division as a way to gain some experience to fulfill his original goal of joining the FBI or DEA. When the FBI approached him later about his desire to join, White was already hooked on community policing.
“I loved it. I loved the work,” he said. “We were a progressive department back then, and I believe we still are.”
White also fell for his wife, Anna, a Bowling Green native, who he met at church. He had seen her before, but didn’t want to approach her while wearing his uniform. So one Sunday, he struck up a conversation, and he was smitten. And it turned out his profession worked in his favor. “She said it was a noble profession. I was very focused on helping others – and that set me apart” from other prospective suitors, he said with a grin. The couple has four children.
At BGPD, White worked as a patrolman for six years, and was given opportunities to expand his skills through frequent and varied classes. He learned to work undercover, on the bike patrol, in hostage negotiations and crisis intervention.
“They were giving me opportunities to really make an impact,” he said. “Any training they would send me to, I would go.”
White excelled at de-escalation (before it was called that) and crisis intervention. While other police departments would train those skills to one or two people, BGPD trained all its officers. White, who has conducted the training for 20 years, believes officers need to know how to respond and get the best resolutions for people facing a mental health crisis.
“I’m really passionate about that,” he said. “How do we get people the services they need – not just cycle them through the system.”
BGPD responds to approximately 30,000 incidents annually. And very few of those result in the use of force by officers. White attributes the well-trained workforce for that stat.
The most common calls to police in Bowling Green involve drugs, driving under the influence of alcohol, and domestic violence. “Our officers are very well trained in all of those areas,” he said.
Whenever possible, the police division invests in technology that helps officers perform their duties. At the same time, White is keenly aware of the costs of newer technology.
Some investments in tech have netted a lot of success – like the cameras installed in the downtown area. Those cameras allow police to identify suspects that would otherwise go unknown.
“Unless you were right there – a lot of our victims have been drinking,” and unable to accurately describe what occurred, White said. But the cameras capture many of the downtown incidents.
More recently, the automatic license plate reader cameras throughout the community have helped police arrest suspects with stolen vehicles, or those who have committed crimes like hit-skips, road rage, and even abductions in custody cases.
The cameras are located on main roads, not in residential neighborhoods, White stressed.
“It’s for serious crimes,” he said, adding that the cameras have proved they’re worth the taxpayer investment.
The city is also looking at making a big investment in renovations to the century-old police station in the downtown. That will pose more challenges for White and the BGPD.
“How do you run a modern police operation out of a building this old,” he said. “We make things work in the building – but it’s just not efficient.”
(During this interview, there was a long series of banging noises above White’s office – from the fourth floor shooting range.)
The building is a maze of rooms that don’t work from an operational standpoint, and are confusing for members of the public seeking services.
“It’s just time we need to invest in our public safety buildings,” White said.
White knows that law enforcement across the nation is still operating under a cloud since the 2020 murder of George Floyd by Derek Chauvin of Minneapolis Police. That crime has weighed heavily on good police everywhere.
“We have a lot of authority. With that comes a lot of responsibility,” he said.
“We aren’t him,” he said of Chauvin. “Our department is run differently.”
BGPD will continue that right path, White said.
“We can’t put our head in the sand and not learn from incidents that happen nationally,” he said.
White believes in community policing – with officers being involved in the city and citizens being involved in decision making.
“It’s about relationships,” and interacting with the public as neighbors.
White plans to continue the police division initiative of having officers involved on community boards, such as the school foundation, community foundation, and Human Relations Commission; in support of festivals such as the Black Swamp Arts Festival and Firefly Nights; working with students through the DARE, Life Skills and Safety Town programs; participating in the Shop with a Cop program; and possibly offering the Citizens Outreach Program again.
“I look forward to partnering with others,” he said.
