As many of you know I will be retiring in June of this year after serving nearly 30 years as the Chief of Police for the City of Beatrice. It seems like only yesterday my family and I arrived here, and I took up shop in what is now the Main Street Offices of the City Auditorium. We had no interview rooms, dispatch center, and only two offices for the whole Department. At that point we were staffed with four police officers on a shift however, the Department only had three police cars, it was an interesting time.
Fast forward to 2022 and we have a much more modern and well-equipped Department, one I hope the community can be proud of. Police work, like everything, has changed significantly over the years. Some things for the better and others, well, not so much. The one constant throughout the years has been the dedication I have seen from our officers. Officers here have always strived to make Beatrice a great place to live.
As we look to the future, a new Police Chief will be hired soon and begin their duties early this summer. The City has begun what will be a national search with an emphasis on the Midwest. The criteria established for the position includes a college degree. The majority of current officers with the Beatrice Police Department have at least a Bachelor’s Degree. Significant management and supervisory experience are also required along with certain technical skills.
The most important trait of a new Chief of Police will be a strong understanding of how a community like Beatrice works. The integration within the community whether it be our special needs community, our school system, or just the culture in general will be critical. The success of any program or department is reliant on people. I am confident we will find that person and that, he or she will lead the Department successfully for many years to come.
Bruce E. Lang
Chief of Police