• Article Photo. Vinton Police Department Reserve Unit inductees, from left; Trey Myers, Blake Henkle, Casey Hazen, Mike McElmeel, and Dennis Eden.
    Vinton Police Department Reserve Unit inductees, from left; Trey Myers, Blake Henkle, Casey Hazen, Mike McElmeel, and Dennis Eden.
  • Article Photo. Reserve Officer Trey Myers on foot patrol at the Vinton-Shellsburg vs. Center Point-Urbana football game with Officer Justin Coshow
    Reserve Officer Trey Myers on foot patrol at the Vinton-Shellsburg vs. Center Point-Urbana football game with Officer Justin Coshow
  • Article Photo.
  • Article Photo. The five Vinton Police reserve officers are sworn in by Mayor John Watson prior to having their badges pinned on by family members.
    The five Vinton Police reserve officers are sworn in by Mayor John Watson prior to having their badges pinned on by family members.
  • Article Photo.
Vinton Police Department Reserve Unit inductees, from left; Trey Myers, Blake Henkle, Casey Hazen, Mike McElmeel, and Dennis Eden. By Capt. Eric Dickinson, Vinton Police Department On August 7, 2016, a swearing-in ceremony was held at the Vinton City Hall formally recognizing four Vinton Police Department reserve officers for successfully completing the requirements to obtain their reserve officer certifications from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. Approximately two dozen friends, family and co-workers were on hand to witness the event which included comments from Police Chief Ted Paxton, Mayor John Watson, and Vince Snyder who recently resigned after more than twelve years of service to the City of Vinton as a reserve officer.   The newly certified reserve officers are; Blake Henkle, Dennis Eden, Casey Hazen, and Trey Myers. A fifth reserve officer, Mike McElmeel, already held ILEA certification when he joined the Vinton Police Reserve Unit and he currently serves as the Lead Reserve Officer for the group. The current five reserve officers have donated more than 700 man-hours, not counting training hours, to the Vinton Police Department since they were hired in April 2015. The Vinton Police Department Reserve Unit was re-structured over the last two years. The reserve officers are required by the City of Vinton to donate a minimum of eight hours per month and they are required by Iowa law to be paid a minimum of $1.00 per year. In addition, they purchase most of their own uniforms and equipment. Reserve officers come from a variety of different backgrounds and full-time careers and many of them see their donated time and service as a way to give something back to their community much like a volunteer firefighter or EMT. In addition to 170 hours of minimum training required by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, the Vinton Police Department requires an additional 171 hours of training beyond the State requirements. All training is provided free of charge to the reserve officers by local law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and other subject matter experts from a variety of agencies on various topics which include; firearms, use of force, less lethal weapons, precision driving, community policing, criminal law, and search and seizure. Once trained, Vinton Police reserve officers assist full-time and part-time officers by providing additional coverage and manpower for patrol, disaster response, special enforcement operations, and during special events such as Party in the Park and Boomtown. The Vinton Police Department is currently seeking additional qualified candidates interested in protecting and serving the citizens of Vinton by becoming reserve police officers. Contact the Vinton Police Department at 319-472-2321 or email Captain Eric Dickinson, Reserve Unit Liaison, dickinson@vintoniowa.net, to request an application packet or for questions. Applications are due by 4:00 p.m. on Monday, September 26, 2016. Meeting set for Sept. 12 for those interested "There will be an informational meeting for persons interested in joining the reserve unit on Monday, September 12, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. at the Vinton City Hall." � Reserve Officer Trey Myers on foot patrol at the Vinton-Shellsburg vs. Center Point-Urbana football game with Officer Justin Coshow Lead Reserve Officer Mike McElmeel instructs Reserve Officer Casey Hazen during firearms training The five Vinton Police reserve officers are sworn in by Mayor John Watson prior to having their badges pinned on by family members.