CPD to hold promotional ceremony
Columbia Police Chief Ken Burton will honor three newly promoted sergeants Oct. 28 as another step in his new geographic policing policy.
The promotion ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. in the Mezzanine Room of City Hall, 600 East Broadway, a CPD news release stated.
Sgt. Ken Hammond was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. Burton also promoted Detectives Geoff Jones and Jason Jones, and Officer Harlan Hatton to the rank of sergeant, the news release stated. All promotions became effective on Oct. 18, 2009.
CPD spokeswoman Jessie Haden said the promotions have helped accomplish revision in CPD’s beat system.
“Our map is going to have four sectors and eight beats. That’s two beats per sector,” Haden said. “It keeps people from bouncing all over town.”
Haden said these promotions and revisions will help put the Chief’s structure into place. The structure will set up who will be running the show and what exact beat map will be established.
“We hope it will kick off with the new calendar year,” Haden said. “Once the process is done, they’ll know where and how many officers will be assigned.”
Haden said candidates who are promoted have to be eligible from a test and conduct an interview with Burton, who makes the final decisions. Qualities that are looked for in candidates include having a positive outlook on the city and good customer service.
CPD Deputy Chief Tom Dresner and Burton are very excited that the new management team is in place and the newly promoted sergeants are a part of it, Dresner said in the news release.
“We have high hopes and expectations for their success and what it means for the effective policing of the city of Columbia,” Dresner said. “These promotions complete the changes that cause the geographic policing model to finally take substantive shape.”
