Chief Pruitt Thanks Town

I have completed another year as your Police Chief and I hope I have represented you and the citizens of this great town proud. First I want to continue to thank you for the opportunity to
lead this police department. I cannot express enough how thankful I am to have four extraordinary officers. I try to run this department with the approach of “leading from the
front”.

This year has passed with sadness and inspiration, sadness from the innocent victims and inspiration from watching this police department give its all to bring closure to the innocent.
You all should know that being a police officer is not an easy task. The media and government has forgotten the toll this “life” takes on a police officers. I refer to this as “life” instead of “job” because a “job” you go to work and come home and repeat this day after day for years. Police officer is a “life”, we go to work and take everything we see and do home with us and the
tragedy and innocence that is taken throughout our careers is never forgotten.

I had the privilege to watch this during the year. I saw how this police department worked as one and took the cases personal. I saw your police department work themselves into complete
exhaustion as several days turned into one long shift. I listened to them talking with loved ones telling them they didn’t know when they would be home as they could barely keep their eyes
opened. I watched as arrangements were made to get kids to school, and fix their meals while these officers worked and never once complained. I saw officer’s step in and help when another
was overwhelmed by the thoughts running through their head was too much. Phone calls were made between us when we were not together just to see if each one was “ok”. This “life” affects not just us officers but it also affects our families. I honestly didn’t think I could respect Jay, Tom, Chelsea and Jake more than I already did, but watching how this year went and how this police department dug in to keep the town safe I am without words. The dedication is inspirational, and I may be the police chief, but I am really just part of this family.

Thank you so much for allowing lead such an incredible group.

Chief, Jim Pruitt

Editor’s Note: Thank you Chief, everyone in this town is proud of you, your team, and how well you represent us.