Following a successful operation involving 20 law enforcement agencies, Battle Ground Police Chief Dennis Flynn emphasized the importance of partnerships in enhancing community safety, particularly during a time when many police departments are facing staffing shortages.
“It’s very easy for people to talk about collaborations,” Flynn said. “The word gets thrown around quite a bit, but truly, for any police department to be successful, they have to be able to collaborate with other agencies. While it’s true for larger agencies, as well, it’s critical for agencies that aren’t quite as big because we don’t have the same resources. We don’t have the manpower. We don’t have the task forces.”
In terms of task forces, the Battle Ground Police Department partnered with the Washington State Patrol’s Missing and Exploited Children Task Force in a sting operation involving more than 20 law enforcement agencies and over 60 officers from Aug. 22 through Aug. 24. A total of 12 men were arrested and accused of traveling to a predetermined location in Battle Ground, believing they would engage in sexual activity with a minor.
“It’s not only in our best interests, but it’s also proven to be effective,” Flynn said of partnerships like the Missing and Exploited Children Task Force. “Criminals do not respect jurisdictional boundaries.”
The sting operation brought together local, state and federal law enforcement entities to Battle Ground. The 12 men traveled to Battle Ground from places including Salem, Oregon, Goldendale, Washington, Eugene, Oregon and beyond, all outside of Battle Ground Police’s direct jurisdiction.
“The added benefit to the additional manpower is the expertise that these other agencies bring in,” Flynn said. “As well as more, better quality cases and enhanced prosecution when you have this many experts that are all working together. It is truly that synergy where one plus one equals three. We get a better outcome, which ultimately leads to better cases and holding people accountable.”
In many cases, the Battle Ground Police Department has been assisted by other agencies for specialized situations, such as fatal car crash investigations, suspect searches assisted by the Portland Police Bureau’s aviation unit, and other nearby departments providing support with high-impact calls.
Flynn also pointed out that, beyond the assistance of other law enforcement entities, one of the greatest assets is the community itself.
“But the collaboration that we talk about in policing expands far beyond just stick and whistle,” Flynn said. “It needs to include the community stakeholders. People throughout the community have information that they’re willing to share or they have ideas that sometimes the police, if they’re myopic, don’t understand what is important to the area businesses or some of the residents, so that partnerships truly have to look outward.”
The community partnership is even highlighted on the newly designed patrol cars, Flynn pointed out.
“That is why when we redesigned the Battle Ground Police Department Patrol cars, we made sure to include the phrase on the back of the car, ‘Partners with the community,’” he said. “It’s something that we believe in. It’s something that we make sure our officers understand, and it’s something that we strive to accomplish every single day.”
Other community-oriented partnerships include the Police Activities League (PAL). Flynn said being part of PAL helps reach the younger generation to have a more sustained impact on them as they continue to mature and become grown adults.
There are numerous other community partners with which the Battle Ground Police Department has a relationship.
“Having these relationships with our community stakeholders — and it really doesn’t matter which organization, only that their goal is to bring an improved service to any particular area — is a benefit to the community,” Flynn said. “So naturally, it just makes sense for police officers to be able to team up with them, as a lot of these community groups have established relationships. Having groups that are willing to get together for the common good allows us a larger audience to be able to engage and hopefully garner even more support in our efforts to reduce crime and make our roadways safer.”
Target Zero is another crucial partner, one that deals with citizens’ biggest concern: traffic violations and roadway safety. During a Target Zero mission, patrol officers from other agencies are brought to an area to focus on specific missions like enforcing seat belt violations, speeding, distracted driving, and more. Oftentimes, the mission involves more officers than the Battle Ground Police Department has slated on a shift.
“The reason that program is something that the Battle Ground Police Department continues to partner with is the success that they continue to bring by combining all the police agencies into one focused mission on any given day,” Flynn said. “Most of the police departments can only spare a finite number of officers to deal with the increasing traffic issues. We’re all acutely aware of the dangers that are on the roadways, the number of serious traffic accidents, and the awful number of fatal collisions that each of the police agencies has responded to.”
Flynn highlighted that often in a serious traffic collision, there are correlating factors that Target Zero missions seek to address, such as speeding, DUI, inattention at the wheel caused by hand-held devices, and other concerns.
“When you’re able to take five, seven or 10 officers and rotate them into different jurisdictions to address the same issue whether it’s speed or any of the others … It’s going to have a tremendous effect and the public’s going to notice,” Flynn said, adding that a day of Target Zero enforcement produces results that last in each jurisdiction.
