Interim Chief Focuses On Thorough Hiring Process To Rebuild Geary Police Force

The city of Geary in Blaine and Canadian Counties is slowly putting police officers back on the streets.

This follows the resignations of the former police chief and all full-time officers last month. On Tuesday, Interim Chief JJ Stitt said two full-time officers were on duty, including himself, along with a reserve officer. For many residents of Geary, like Shelley Coughran, a stronger police presence is exactly what they want to see in their community.

“This is one of the reasons I bought my house here,” Coughran said as she walked across her double-corner lot.

She says the location is what sold her on her home, right across the street from the Geary Police Department. “They were coming by at night and checking all the doors and on all the businesses and making sure everything was locked up,” she said about the patrol officers.

Now, she says it’s up to her to double-check her locks and security cameras, after the department walked out on Oct. 31. “We need some police over there,” she said. 

The former police chief, Alicia Ford, posted her resignation on Facebook. She claims the city failed to address critical issues within the department, including safety concerns, equipment needs, and officer burnout. Shortly after the officers quit, the mayor resigned.

“I mean I understand, but still, we’ve got to be protected,” Coughran said. “Somebody's gotta get in here and take hold and get this mess straightened up.”

The city hired Officer JJ Stitt to do just that. “I'm extremely confident we're going to get there,” Stitt said.

The distant cousin to Gov. Kevin Stitt, JJ Stitt is a commissioned peace officer who has worked in law enforcement for 27 years. The now Geary interim police chief says he wants to make sure he puts the right officers back on the streets.

“We're being very, very particular on who we choose,” Stitt said.

The hiring process is lengthy. Once an application is turned in, Stitt says the applicant must go through an interview process, then fingerprints and background checks as well as psychological evaluations and sometimes a polygraph exam.

“A lot of times people look really good on paper, but then they tend to dress themselves up; it's part of the game,” Stitt said. “We have to dig through all that to get into the real heart of what that person is and be a good fit.” 

So far, Stitt has hired one new full-time police officer who is already on patrol and needs three more. For now, Stitt himself is also working in between interviews.

“I'm responding to calls,” he said. “I'm ready to go do whatever I’ve gotta do.”

The department also has four reserve officers on staff to help cover the city. Stitt says the Blaine County and Canadian County Sheriff's Offices are assisting the department until it is fully staffed.