Mount Pleasant Magazine May/June 2021

24 www. ReadMPM. com | www. VOICE forRea l Es tate. com | www.MountPl easantBu i lder s . com MOUNT PLEASANT MAGAZINE: You’ve served the town of Mount Pleasant for 25 years, how has Mount Pleasant changed from the perspective of a police officer during that time? DEPUTY CHIEF ARNOLD: The geography, the population, those of course have changed. Our tactics and the things that we do have changed over the years, and we’ve improved significantly. We’re a nationally accredited police department, so we are constantly looking for ways to improve our responses and one particular area for example would be how we interact with individuals that are experiencing mental health crisis. That has changed a lot in the last several years, and we’ve focused a lot on training. All of our officers have been through critical response training and mental health training as part of their in-service training. So, officers today are a lot more educated on what to look for and how to interpret what they’re seeing. A lot of things have changed over the years, in my opinion for the better. MPM: What would you say has been the most rewarding part of your career thus far? DCA: It it sounds like a little bit of a cliché, but helping people. It’s not just any one thing, and there are tons of examples over the years. When I started as an officer, helping people meant solving cases and crimes. Now it’s about helping officers become the best they can be and serve the community. MPM: Both you and the Chief have had long careers with MPPD, which is very rare in policing. What is it about the town of Mount Pleasant and the department that has led you to serve our citizens here for the past 25 years? DCA: For me, it boils down to the way we do business. There’s a level of professionalism that has always existed since I started here. The commitment to improving that exists here is really important. And, of course, the people that I work with. There’s really not any other police department I would rather serve. Mount Pleasant citizens really respect the police department, and we have a a great partnership with the community. So, the way I look at it is if you’re going to work in law enforcement, this is the best place to be. MPM: You have worked along Chief Richie throughout your entire career. What will you miss most about having him around every day? DCA: As we began this transition, he really took on a mentorship role, and has been there as a sounding board for me, someone to bounce ideas off of. So, once he retires, I’m not going be able to call him while he’s riding his motorcycle in Sturgis. MPM: Being a police officer and a husband and father at the same time is definitely not easy. How do you plan on having balance, once you become chief, between work and your home life? DCA: It’s a challenge. It’s one of those things that I wouldn’t be able to do it if I didn’t have the support of my family. And you literally just have to make it a point to find ways to spend meaningful time together. I was going for a walk with my wife yesterday and we were talking about, as we move forward with this, finding ways to make the time to continue doing that. Whether it’s family game night, going to the beach together, or walking our dogs, when I’m at home I tried to be a husband and a dad. MPM: Mount Pleasant has seen an unprecedented amount of growth over the last few years, and the town continues to change. What excites you about the Mount Pleasant of the future? feature