The Baxter Board of Mayor and Aldermen appointed Lieutenant Brandon Herren as the new Chief of Police during a special called meeting Monday night.
Family health issues led to the sudden resignation of Chief Al Reyes two weeks ago.
“I mean, I’m born and raised in Baxter, so it’s really special for me to be able to be the next police chief and lead the department,” Herren said. “I started, like I said, in 2010. We didn’t have the best of cars or the best equipment, and there wasn’t as many of us as there are now. But we’ve grown as a department and, you know, things are a lot better now, and I just want to continue the growth and development of the department.”
Herren said the department has transitioned from handwritten reports to a modern CAD system used by other law enforcement agencies. Herren said he intends to use his knowledge of technology to ensure the department keeps up with modern advancements.
“When I started, we were way under the, I guess, the playing field,” Herren said. “I was doing, we were doing reports, handwritten reports. And so we’ve come a long way. I’d say the biggest change is just the technology, the equipment that we have. We all operate off the same CAD system that all the other agencies have. So, you know, technologically, we’ve grown a whole lot. And, you know, technology changes all the time, so it’s going to continue to grow. And, you know, I’m knowledgeable in technology, so I hope to keep up with the times and everything.”
Herren said the city is experiencing a period of new development that will likely require the department to hire more officers. Herren said his focus remains on maintaining professional service and timely response through the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office dispatch.
“I just want to make sure that, you know, we continue to grow and develop,” Herren said. “You know, Baxter’s one of those cities that’s going to, it’s just going to take off one day. You know, we’ve got a lot of new development, and I’m sure we’re going to have to hire new officers to meet the needs of the citizens. And, you know, I’m just excited to be in the position where I can lead the department in a good way going into the future.”
Herren said he has spent nearly 16 years with the department and is committed to maintaining business as usual for the citizens.
“You know, I’m fortunate to be able to have this opportunity and, you know, I’ll do the best job that, absolute best job that I can,” Herren said.
Herren is scheduled to be officially sworn in on Thursday.
