Johnston Police Adding Community Affairs Officer In 2018

JOHNSTON, IA — The Johnston Police Department will add a Community Affairs Officer position in 2018 in an effort to bring neighborhoods together and focus primarily on crime prevention, community outreach and education initiatives. Officer Zach Grandon has been selected for the duties.

“As a city, we have done an excellent job of recognizing the importance of community policing to strengthen public trust and foster stronger relationships between local law enforcement and our stakeholders,” Police Chief Dennis McDaniel said in a news release. “This new position will act as the coordinator and ambassador to those efforts and aid patrol officers and investigators in dedicating the time necessary to effectively follow-up on case referrals."

McDaniel said the end goal is "to successfully implement crime reduction strategies, community outreach initiatives and educational programming.”

Grandon will transition to his new role in January. He began in the department in 2007 and most recently has served as a school resource officer. He also has worked as a patrol officer and crime scene investigator and he serves as a department instructor.

“Officer Grandon is a talented communicator with an exceptional ability to recognize the community’s needs and opportunities," McDaniel said. "His skill set made him the perfect fit for this position."

Being a school resource officer has allowed Grandon to cultivate relationships with students and families in the community. He said he will miss those people in the district "and the daily interactions with the students."

“Being able to be a part of their lives, while influencing and helping shape their future, is a unique and rare opportunity," he said. "I am glad I got to be a part of an invaluable partnership and make a difference.”

In his new role, Grandon said he looks forward to implementing new initiatives. That will include coordinated interactions with elementary schools through the department’s Adopt-A-School program, focused efforts on being a resource to seniors or those in need of mental health assistance, and educating the Johnston business and religious communities on tools available to ensure safety.

The department’s crime-free multi-housing program will also be coordinated by Grandon and he will work with the Community Education staff and the Johnston Partnership to develop a 21st Century approach to neighborhood watch.

“This new position will allow me to collaborate with a very diverse section of the Johnston community on a variety of topics,” Grandon said.

Photo courtesy of Johnston Police Department