Like most law enforcement leaders, Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow would prefer a lower crime rate. But Barrow said he’s pretty satisfied with the level of protection that his officers provide throughout the city. And until that crime rate is zero, he said he will “keep fighting the good fight and looking for innovative ways to improve” the department he oversees.
Barrow provided business leaders and others from the community a “State of the Police Department” report during a Chamber of Commerce event in September, and he reviewed those comments on Monday’s TownTalk.
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“I think we’re doing well,” he said, but added that “you always want to improve – always want things to be better.”
The Flock camera system that has recently been installed is proving useful, Barrow said. “I did give up one (officer) position for Flock,” he said. “That was a smart move.”
“Flock is very beneficial to everything we do,” he said. “I’ve seen it work…and I’m a true believer.”
Law enforcement officers will take help – whether it’s in the form of a camera system or from other agencies who come together to execute search warrants and seize illegal drugs and weapons.
The Henderson Police Department is allocated 51 sworn positions, with 40 active officers and 5 more in training. There are 6 vacancies at the present time.
The police force has shrunk by 7 officers since Barrow arrived in 1998, he said he’s satisfied with the number. “I’m trying to make it cost effective for the city,” he said.
Interested in becoming a police officer? They’re hiring. And Base pay is close to $49,000; certain experience and education levels boost that base pay.
That competitive pay is, well, paying off. Barrow said a recent hire moved from a job in another town because Henderson offered a better pay package.
Henderson police officers are on track this year to handle more drug search warrants than last year, and they’re also on track to seize more guns than last year. Last year, officers collected 170 guns. Through September, officers have taken 145.
It leaves Barrow in a bit of a dilemma as to what to do with the upwards of 1,500 guns currently sitting in his evidence vault.
State law says the guns could be returned to their rightful owner – after lots and lots of research into who actually owns them. They also can be sold to a gun dealer or put into use by the police department.
They may only be destroyed if they are damaged or unable to be fired safely, Barrow added.
For Barrow, that limits his options. “I don’t want to put them back on the street,” he said, adding that he would only be willing to sell to a dealer that specializes in law enforcement weapons. He’d trade them in for other equipment his officers could use.