By Mike Dwyer , Joplin Globe

CARTERVILLE, Mo. — The loss of a chief undoubtedly presents an obstacle for any small police department.
But add to that a lieutenant, a sergeant and a senior patrol officer within a month, and it would seem out and out difficult for a department to move on — especially when the department only had five full-time officers.
But that’s exactly what the Carterville Police Department faced after former Chief Tommy Kitch accepted the top police job at Duquesne in late January.
Kitch hired four officers just before he went to Duquesne, said Carterville’s new police Chief Will Cline, who started with the department Feb. 17.
“They hired four of us and pretty much left,” Cline said. “We felt like we were kind of the joke of the community.”
For six months after Kitch’s departure, another February hire, Sgt. Clinton Worley served as interim chief.
He said Kitch ran a good department, but the loss of so many officers caused the force to lose face in town.
“What you find with a large turnover like that is immediately you start to have a negative outlook in the town,” he said, “but that seemed to be temporary.”
Cline, who was tabbed as chief Sept. 11, said he knew reversing residents’ opinion of the police force would be a challenge.
“I felt like I was willing to give it a shot, and see if I could do it,” he said. “I’m doing OK with it. I don’t want to see this department disappear. I just wanted to see if I could bring it back to life a little bit.”
He said the department has made a concerted effort to get back in touch with the community by increasing its presence and participation at Carterville Elementary School, holding contests for kids, and calling in its reserve officers to help patrol. The department will also assist the Webb City police with the “Shop with a Cop” program Dec. 2.
Kristine McCulley, principal of Carterville Elementary, said it’s important for students to see the good police officers do.
“We think it’s important that our students view the Police Department as community helpers and helpers in the way of safety,” she said. “We want the police to be viewed in a positive way with our students.”
McCulley said police departments have typically had a good relationship with the school. She said she has had discussions with Cline about extending police participation in the school, and there is a possibility the force could be involved in a parent-education program in the future.

Mayor Jess Harnden said Kitch was an “excellent chief.” However, he said, the force, under Cline, may be doing an even better job of working with the residents, assisting at the school and helping with a community policing organization.
“I’m really proud of them,” Harnden said. “They seem to be doing whatever we ask them to, which is protecting the citizens and having a good relationship with the citizens around town. They’ve done a real good job about public relations.”
Cline said having a whole new force to work with, aside from one reserve officer who has been with the department for 10 years, has been a challenge. But Cline, 31, said having a common-sense approach to the job helps the force overcome its difficulties.
Cline said his plans for the force include applying for more grants — the department is low on equipment, and he said he’s already applied for a $6,000 to $7,000 grant for equipment. He said the force needs to be prepared for the growth the city could see when the Range Line bypass is completed in January 2009.
But for now, Cline said, he is happy with the change he has seen in the people when he comes around. He said he feels welcome around town and normally is greeted with a smile.
“Law enforcement, it’s gotten to the point where it’s almost a bad career to go into if you want to be a good guy,” he said. “I don’t believe that. I believe you can have it both ways. I believe we can serve the community and take care of the offenders. If you can’t care about the people you’re supposed to be protecting, I don’t know why you’re protecting them.”
Chief’s bio
Carterville police Chief Will Cline said he graduated from the law-enforcement program in May 2005 at Missouri Southern State University. He worked part time at JasCo Metropolitan Police Department, then started a full-time job with the force in Granby before coming to Carterville in February.