BY JANE PRENDERGAST
The Cincinnati Enquirer
BURLINGTON -- Do the right thing. And do more than people expect you to do.
It's that easy to do police work well, says Capt. Jim Whalen. He's about to become chief of the Boone County Police Department.
"I'm firmly convinced that my philosophy on policing is the best philosophy," Capt. Whalen said in an interview Thursday. Working and networking with other departments, "sharing ideas with them," is vital, he said.
"And community involvement. People need to work with the police department so we know what it is that residents want from us."
Capt. Whalen will replace retiring Chief Ace Ammann, who is leaving the job after five years to run the Greater Cincinnati Automobile Dealers Association. Chief Ammann took the Boone County job after retiring in 1993 from the Cincinnati Police Division.
There's a going-away party for Chief Ammann next week; Capt. Whalen will become Chief Whalen at his swearing-in ceremony Aug. 31.
After that, the new chief's officers -- as well as area residents -- should begin seeing more community-related programs from the department's top office, according to the new chief's philosophy. Those changes might include some enhancement of the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) teaching, and possibly some new related lessons on resisting gangs and violence.
"I don't want people to think we're saying there's a gang problem," Capt. Whalen said. "But I'd just like to do it before there is a gang problem."
He's also considering merging his SWAT team with that of the Kenton County Sheriff's Department. That, he said, goes along with communicating better with other departments.
The chief-to-be joined the department 23 1/2 years ago. He really wanted to be a veterinarian -- until he learned how much schooling was required. Then he wanted to be a trooper with the Kentucky State Police. He was too nearsighted for that.
He was the department's eighth officer when he joined in 1975. Since, he has done just about every job available, with the exception of DARE officer and SWAT team member.
Keeping up with Boone County's growth will be his constant challenge. "There's still so much area here that can still grow," Capt. Whalen said. "That's always going to be something for us to deal with. But we're as ready as we've ever been."
