Some Danville Police Commanders say they are looking forward to three new special units being formed within the department. Police Commanders Doug Miller and Josh Webb were guests on WDAN Radio’s Newsmakers program Monday.
Miller explained how the units will work…
{‘’These new units won’t necessarily be tied down to calls for service, but they can go where the community needs them. Whether it’s with the Community Housing Unit, what the residents require – or on a larger scale with the POP Unit if there’s an issue on Vermilion Street that needs to be addressed, if there’s an issue at the Village Mall, if there’s an issue on South Gilbert – wherever that may be, that’s what these units will allow – I think more accessibility to officers and on a more personal level,’’ said Commander Miller.}
In addition to the POP, and Community Housing Units, Police Chief Christopher Yates (shown in photo at left) said recently that another unit being formed will concentrate on traffic.
Commander Webb explained what the Community Housing Unit will do….
{‘’It would be two guys partnered up, working the housing areas and just working specifically with the people in those communities to try to make their lives better,’’ said Commander Webb. ‘’And that goes through not only just enforcement but through interaction with us. What their problems are. How we can help them. And just providing them a face-to-face service other than when they dial 9-1-1.’’
Commander Webb says being a police officer today is more challenging than when he began his career in law enforcement…
{‘’The problem that we see now is that a lot of people just don’t want to interact with us, for one reason or another. And it’s not anything that I did specifically, or Commander Miller did or anybody else. It’s just a perception. So, what we want to do is not only provide a service with these units, but also to change that perception. Because the only way you’re going to do that is if we actually interact,’’ said Commander Webb.}
Commander Webb has been involved in local law enforcement for 16 years. He was originally a member of VMEG, the county’s undercover narcotics squad.
Commander Miller has been in local law enforcement for twelve and a half years. He originally worked four years with the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Department.
[Commander Miller is on the left in the photo and Commander Webb is on the right. You can click on the photos to enlarge them.]
