On Tuesday night, the Washington Township Police Department kicked off the third class of its Citizens Academy, with a dozen community members joining Chief Michael Thompson for an engaging first session. The citizens were introduced to the background of the department, which continues to expand in both size and service areas.
Five officers and one Chief serve over 4,000 residents within 32.05 square miles, the Washington Township Police Department has recently expanded its responsibilities to include the Village of Lakeview. This contract, which began just a week ago, covers an additional 1,000 residents within a 0.72-square-mile area. The agreement generates a revenue of $49,920 and provides Lakeview with 20 dedicated service hours per week—equating to one hour of service per officer per shift each week. One officer, Logan Miller, serves as the School Resource Officer at Indian Lake Schools.
The department operates with an annual budget of approximately $555,000, allocated across salaries ($350,000), fuel ($30,000), and operational costs including cruisers, maintenance, uniforms, and ammunition. Funding for the department is derived from a 3.5-mill levy and a 0.5-mill permanent levy, alongside other income from court fines, impound fees, vehicle auctions, forfeitures, donations, and contributions from the Washington Township Police Officers Association (WTPOA).
Chief Thompson emphasized that, for the first time in years, law enforcement agencies across Logan County are collaborating well and working together on various initiatives, a notable shift from the past. In 224 drug cases, the Logan County Unified Drug Task Force seized in the last year:
- Crack- 209.3 Grams
- Cocaine- 106.2 Grams
- Fentanyl- 140.5 Grams
- Methamphetamine – 625.74 Grams
- Heroin- 58.7 Grams
- Hash- 4 Pounds
- 110 Drug Traffickers were Indicted
Chief Thompson says its important that local law enforcement works together:
The department responds to roughly 5,000 calls for service annually, with a significant portion of those calls related to domestic disturbances, mental health crises, fraud, and civil issues. Additionally, officers handle house checks, traffic stops, business checks, and reports of suspicious activity.
In an effort to educate the community and enhance transparency, Chief Thompson stressed the importance of being proactive rather than reactive in policing. Chief Thompson talks about why:
The second half of the Citizens Academy class featured a hands-on session where attendees reviewed traffic stops and calls using body camera footage from Washington Township officers. Chief Thompson broke down each situation, explaining the actions taken and discussing the outcomes, giving participants a deeper understanding of police operations.
The class will continue to meet for the next several weeks, covering a variety of topics related to law enforcement and community engagement, as part of an ongoing effort to build stronger relationships between the police department and the citizens they serve. Chief Thompson explains why he holds these classes for the community: