After signing a six-month, $20,000 contract last week, Dale LaCroix arrived in town Monday for his inaugural day as Clarkston’s new police chief.
LaCroix, who retired as Waterford Police Department’s deputy chief in December, said he was eager to get on board and learn what residents like and don’t like about Clarkston’s police force.
Interim chief Jim Thompson told city council members last week he’d spent time bringing the city’s new top cop up to speed on department happenings, policies, and procedures.
‘I’m sure it’ll be a smooth transition,? said LaCroix, noting he would likely rely on Thompson’s knowledge of the department in coming months while policies are set and priorities determined.
‘Training looks like it’s going to be an issue,? he said, noting many of the department’s officers are retired from larger departments. ‘Most of them have the skills and the training, but keeping them up to date could be more difficult.?
Part of the problem, he said, is all officers’with the exception of Thompson’work on a part time basis, and therefore hold other jobs and have obligations that make scheduling difficult. Finding the funds to pay for officer training, he said, will also present a challenge.
They were, however, challenges LaCroix was eager to tackle.
After seven years of administrative work in Waterford, he was also looking forward to getting back on the street.
‘I’m a personal guy,? he said. ‘I like people and I’ve missed being out on the road.?
Clarkston’s Police Chief Selection Committee felt LaCroix’s working knowledge and experience in Waterford’s much larger department’with about 110 employees and a $13 million budget’made him a good choice for chief.
LaCroix joined the Waterford Police Department as a patrol officer in 1980, and held the rank of sergeant and lieutenant before he became deputy chief in 2000.
As Waterford’s second in command, a rank he held six years, LaCroix’s responsibilities included all aspects of police administration; he wrote and oversaw the department’s budget, administered state and federal grants, commanded the road patrol division, supervised the records department and dispatch center and served as liaison for Waterford School District and the 51st District Court.
He was also the department’s SWAT team commander.
Now that he’s in Clarkston, LaCroix planned to spend his first week introducing himself to business owners, residents and city council members.
‘It’ll be a different kind of workload,? he said. ‘Waterford operates more on a response approach, but here (in Clarkston), the focus will be a more community-oriented approach.?
A contract drawn up by Clarkston city officials stipulates that the new chief works a 40-hour week. He will not receive payment for compensatory time or shift differential, nor will he receive health benefits.
LaCroix lives in Holly with his wife of nearly 30 years, Gina. The couple has one adult son, David, 25.