Lake City Police Chief, Dan Schaffer, says the input and questions he received from the public during a community forum held earlier this week will be invaluable as he settles in to his new role. Close to 40 people attended Tuesday night’s session at the Lake City Community Building. According to Schaffer, it is imperative law enforcement have positive relationships with the people they serve, and this forum was just the starting point.
Methamphetamine use has been an issue in rural Iowa for decades, but the way it is produced and distributed has changed significantly. Law enforcement put an emphasis on locating and shutting down home labs, but Schaffer notes this did not cut down on the narcotic’s prevalence like they had hoped.
Schaffer adds he and the department will be working to reduce all illegal drug use, not just methamphetamine. Another issue that has risen to prominence in recent years is the frequency of law enforcement responding to mental health calls. He says the goal is to have everyone on the department trained to deescalate these scenarios.
Schaffer thanks everybody who came to Tuesday’s forum and reminds Lake City residents he has an open-door policy. He encourages anybody who was unable to attend the forum to stop by the department to say hi or bring any of their concerns to his attention.
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