BAXTER SPRINGS, Kans. — A Southeast Kansas community has some extra help for its police department.
“27 years ago I started as a reserve police officer here in Baxter Springs Kansas, so it has a very special place because from there, I built a career that has spanned the course of different departments to, you know, led to me retiring from Joplin Police Department to becoming Chief of the department I started at, so it’s very special,” said Brian Henderson, Chief of Police, BSPD.
And currently the Baxter Springs department has 10 fully-trained and completely volunteer-based reserve police officers, like Trina Hamiliton.
Hamilton also works as a full-time certified pharmacy technician while volunteering over 10 hours a month to the police department since 2014.
“I had always wanted to be a police officer, but I just never followed the footsteps, but when I married my husband, he had been in law enforcement for many years. And he suggested I should join the reserves, so I did. We can do transports, um, if we have events like, um, ‘Count Down Days’ or we have parades, we’re there to help assist in that. Or if, you know, some disaster comes down, we’re able to just come out and help with that,” said Trina Hamilton, Reserve BSPD Officer & Pharmacy Tech.
Chief Henderson says that because reserve officers have other careers, they bring a variety of expertise to law enforcement.
“So, what that does for us as an agency is it allows us to not only network with businesses where they work, but also network with people that come in and have contact with them on a daily basis and it allows just that much more support in the community,” said Henderson.
Reserve officers like Hamilton have to pay for their uniforms and equipment while still donating their time to the agency.
But to Hamilton, the reward is much greater than a badge or a title.
“I think the main reward is just helping people in the community, most definitely. Being there for them when they need us the most,” said Hamilton
On Saturday October 1st, the department is hosting the Back the Badge Fundraiser from 10am to 2pm at the police station.
For the purchase of a BBQ lunch, the proceeds will help fund the uniforms and equipment for future reserve officers.