Juneau Police Lt. Krag Campbell was named the Deputy Chief of Police from January. 1. Campbell will also serve as interim police chief up to the time Derek Bos, who was selected as chief, takes the reins in February.
After the time Chief Ed Mercer was fired this summer, the department, Juneau will have three chiefs on temporary contracts until Bos starts in February. Campbell has been employed by for the last three years, and was one of the finalist candidates for the position of chief of police. The new police chief is expected to inherit the department’s struggles to fill vacant positions. There are 13 vacant police officer positions in all.
The KTOO’s Yvonne Krumrey spoke with Campbell about his promotion and what he plans to do to boost retention among staff.
This conversation has been edited lightly to ensure the clarity of it and its length.
Krag Campbell Krag Campbell: I’ll serve as an assistant chief of the police, who is under the direction of the police chief. The chief is in charge of the entire operations of the department. This includes our patrol, investigation division, along with our non-sworn division, our community service personnel, our dispatchers the records we keep, the entire staff that is working under lieutenants to our public safety officer under their deputy. It’s the deputy chief’s duty to manage those day-to-day operations with the assistance of lieutenants, then under the direction of the chief.
Yvonne Krumrey What is this role change imply for you?
Krag Campbell Krag Campbell: It’s a step in my career path that I’ve always been enthusiastic about. It was when I started my career as a detective. So I was, I can’t remember, the year 2007 or anything. I was really impressed in that moment I felt like I had more power as well as more people open to hearing from me. Due to the role, even though detectives are equivalent to an officer, they perform their duties differently. In that particular role in the event that you were willing to perform some of the tasks for example, “Hey, this thing has to be changed or improved on.” In the event that you could be the driver in that effort and obtain acceptance from others that you worked with, you were able to have more influence in executing the task. That was something I really appreciated.
I realized that I truly enjoy things such as improvement in processes, changing things. I also enjoy changing the status quo and doing things in a different way. If they are able to be improved and more efficiently, that’s what I want to achieve.
I’ve always thought, “hey, I want to work in a position that helps our employees, as a top priority, in the same way that we are able to appreciate different things” You know? I believe that traditionally most organizations do not value their employees as highly as they would appreciate outputs, statistics, as well as the things the company is trying to accomplish. If your workplace doesn’t place the same amount of importance on their employees, this can result in less morale and a poorer quality of work. We aren’t able to afford this as a police department. Since our primary product of work is the service we offer the communities we serve. And if we have police officers who are exhausted and don’t feel valued they’ll be evident when they’re talking to people in the streets, and this results in friction between the public and officers in everyday life I’d like to ensure that we can put our employees on the same level as a top priority.
While I was in the process of training this year. The information they gave me was fascinating for a department. what do you want your employees to look like, they should be on the other hand, in their commitment to what you’re trying accomplish – which could be the case with your commitment to the engagement of your committee as well as you’re committing to your organisation and the brand, whatever it’s – you have ensure that they are on the same level. Since whatever your commitment level is, will be what the level of their commitment to your company will be. If you’re to put them in this place it’s likely that they’ll be coming to you right here. They’re not going to climb up to the top. Just in my head, it’s true. And I’d like to bring these people up here. That’s why my move to the position of deputy chief, I believe, will give me the opportunity to do this on a much greater scale. This is what I’m very thrilled about.
Yvonne Krumrey Could I inquire what has the department’s function been in this rotatable direction?
Krag Campbell The best thing regarding the Department is that that it’s as if it’s a well-oiled machine. The department is just running, and because in day to daily operations the chief isn’t making the decisions you’re used to. In the longer term, they aid make decisions and help keep you in the direction that is the direction you’re trying follow. However, we’ve been able to have an interim chief, Lieutenant. (Jeremy) Weske, and He’s done a fantastic job. He’s a fantastic leader. Therefore, he’s been there help in the necessary leadership. We’re left with the mystery of, “What’s going to happen? Who will be the first to know? What will it be as?” I think for the majority of us we’re navigating it. We’re navigating it very well. However, it would be nice to have these issues sorted out in the future. Chief Bos will be in February. I’ll be taking over January. 1 and after that we’ll continue to think, “Hey, what’s going to be our normal routine going forward?” ?”
