Lieutenant Michael Toland will retire from the Harrison Police Department on December 31 after 25 years of law enforcement. A party is scheduled at El Mexico Lindo at 816 Hwy. 62/65 noon on Wednesday, Dec. 18.
Mayor Jerry Jackson said, “Lt. Toland has been an invaluable asset, not only to the Harrison Police Department but also to the entire City of Harrison.”
Police Chief Chris Graddy added, “You know folks always say anyone is replaceable, but with Lt. Toland, that just isn't true. I have known Mike since he was a child. Our families attend the same church. Mike has always given his all regarding this department and his community. His bonds with our community will continue long after his retirement. Mike has brought together many local first responder agencies through integrated training. Our area law enforcement agencies, fire departments, and EMS have grown to become a united front to combat any incident presented to them because of Lt Toland's training exercises. Lt Toland's duties have been divided and assigned to FOUR different Sergeants. So I guess we can say some are not replaceable. Mike, go enjoy your well-earned retirement with your family. We here at the Harrison Police Department truly appreciate your service.”
HR Manager Danny Presley said, “Lt. Toland is an incredible officer. He’s like a plug-and-play policeman. You can have him fill in anywhere in the department; he knows what to do and how to help.”
Toland attributes the lack of burnout that many officers face to his desire to learn something new every five years or so. He began his career in the St. Louis area, where he attended a police academy and worked for a sheriff's department. As a Bergman High School graduate, he felt like moving home in May 2000 when he joined the Harrison Police Department.
After five years in the patrol division, he added the SRO (School Resource Officer) to his resume and enjoyed working with students, parents, and teachers. Then, he moved to the CID (Criminal Investigation Division) and was trained to investigate crime scenes and administer polygraph tests.
“I loved investigations, and when Chief Woodruff wanted to move me to be over the SRO Division as a sergeant in 2016, I didn’t want the position. But he knew it would benefit me, the department, and the community, and I’m glad he pushed me. That move helped me gain additional leadership skills; when Chief Graddy came, I was promoted to Lieutenant over the school, community activities, and officer training. I have really enjoyed being able to help in all of the divisions.”
Toland feels very blessed only to be 46 years old and able to retire to spend more time with his family. “My wife, Robin, and our family have sacrificed much for this job. The hours are difficult, and with three adult children, the youngest in college, I’m glad I can see my son Jared participate in college activities. He has a full ride to Cumberland University in Nashville, Tenn., to be a part of their E-Sports Team, which is ranked No. 12 in their division. We are very proud of him and his accomplishments. We are also proud of our two daughters, Hope and Faith. Faith has recently begun her career in government as the election coordinator for Boone County. So I am thankful for all the opportunities given to them and that they have worked hard for them.”
Relationships built in the community have been his favorite part of the job. “I have ‘kids’ who were in junior high when I was the SRO officer and now have their children in the program. They still reach out to me for advice, and I have a special connection with their parents, as well as bankers, teachers, and businesses in the area.”
“I love being at the schools and seeing how the students interact with their SRO Officers. Hopefully, we can make a difference in their lives,” he said. “The trust of the students, teachers, and community is huge. I warn our officers never to violate that trust because it’s fragile and difficult to re-establish when you’ve broken it.”
He knows that many individuals get into this line of work for the excitement. “Eventually, it became all about relationships and serving the community for me. I feel very blessed to have had this opportunity. Of course, I now sound like an ‘old man’ when I remind the younger officers how it ‘used to be.’ But honestly, every mayor, city council member, and administrator has done something to improve the department. When I started, we purchased all of our own equipment, the weapons, uniform, and shoes – all of which were very expensive. So we didn’t make that kind of investment and changed our minds after a few months. Thankfully, the city has been able to raise salaries and purchase our equipment. So I’m grateful for the advancements we’ve been able to make.”
Another facet of his job has been to operate the department’s drone to film crime scenes and community events. Sgt. Guffy and Cpl. Grisham attended training and received their drone pilot certification. “It’s part of the ‘hands-on’ part of the job that I’ve really loved. Operating a drone has many regulations and responsibilities; they have it figured out and will do just fine.”
Lt. Toland will be missed, but he has definitely achieved his goal of “always leaving it better than you found it.”
Additional settings for Safari Browser.
