By Joe Noga, The Pittsburg Morning Sun (Pittsburg, Kansas)
| Retiring Pittsburg Chief of Police Mike Hall hugs businessman Rudy Simoncic during a farewell reception Friday in the Timmons Room of the Stilwell Hotel. Hall is retiring after 32 years of law enforcement service, including the last eight as chief of police in Pittsburg. |
More than 200 officers from nearly every local, state and federal law enforcement agency in the area joined together in tribute to retiring Pittsburg Police Chief Mike Hall. Hall, who has been with the police department for eight years, retired Friday at a ceremony held in the Timmons Ballroom at the Stilwell Hotel.
“I want to thank everyone who has done so much for me,” Hall said at the ceremony. “This community has been gracious, loving and caring. There has never been a time when I felt that Pittsburg didn’t care about the Police Department.”
Hall joined the Lawrence Police Department in 1973. He was later promoted to detective in 1980 and was the first in the history of the department to receive the Medal of Valor for Heroism.
In 1984 Hall was promoted to lieutenant and was directly responsible for numerous crime-specific task forces and for implementation of many crime prevention programs.
In 1995, after 22 years with the Lawrence Police Department, he resigned his position to become the chief of police in Pittsburg.
Though Hall’s tenure in Pittsburg was relatively short, his impact, according to those who worked closely with him, will be felt for some time to come.
Maj. Mendy Hulvey, deputy chief of police, said in the short time Hall was chief, he did much for the community, especially in efforts to involve the police department in the community.
“I think that is the philosophy in the police department and I think it is beneficial for both the police department and the community,” Hulvey said. “I think any time the community helps set the police agenda it is a win-win. Clearly, he is the one who implemented that philosophy. It is as vibrant today as it was when he initiated those efforts early in his career here.”
Hulvey said she thinks Hall’s only regret is that he didn’t get to do more.
“He had more projects in mind but either didn’t have the time or didn’t have the resources to implement those programs,” she said. “I hope that someday I can carry on with his tradition.”
Hulvey specifically mentioned Crime Stoppers and the Citizens Academy.
“Crime Stoppers is similar to the anonymous tip line, only there is actually a monetary reward for helping combat crime,” she said, adding that the Citizens Academy is similar to what law enforcement officers do, when they go to the police academy.
“It is to introduce citizens to the concepts of policing,” Hulvey said. “It give them a better understanding of what we do and the issues that we deal with in the community. Again, it helps them to give us input.”
Pittsburg City Manager Allen Gill said from what he has seen, Hall is conscientious about police business and detailed in his work and in investigations.
“The quality of the police work is definitely very good. I would also say, from what I can see, the relationships that exists with other departments has been good and from my understanding, it has not always been that way,” Gill said. “There has been numerous drug task force things go down in this town using personnel from three and four agencies at a time. When things happen those resources are at our disposal, which has definite benefit to the city and therefore, I would say, a benefit to the entire area because we ‘pay back’ those things too.”
Crawford County Sheriff Sandy Horton said the sheriff’s department has a splendid relationship with the Pittsburg Police Department and he said he hope that relationship continues.
“When Mike came here we, I think, started a good working relationship between the two departments,” Horton said. “Quite frankly, that doesn’t exist every where in law enforcement in Kansas or any other state. We both realize that the problems in our community are regional problems; in my opinion, we’ve worked well together. And as far as solving crime, I think we have done an excellent job together.”
Horton said that in the early stages of working with the Southeast Kansas Drug Task Force nobody had anywhere to house the task force
“Mike volunteered to do that at an overly cramped police department already and made room for everybody,” Horton said. “I think that was very admirable and he was recognized for that at the last drug task force meeting. There was nothing selfish about it. We’ve got problems here. He has never looked at problems here as just a Pittsburg problem and he’s right. It’s not just a local problem, it is a regional problem and that is how he has tried to address the issues.”
Gill said that this type of cooperation, which he said includes other law enforcement agencies in the area, is not something that just happens, the leaders in those departments make it happen.
“The people in charge have to make that happen because it is very easy for that not to happen,” he said. “I think it is a credit to Mike and to the others in their positions that have made it happen. That is something that I hope we can continue with the next chief, because it is important, especially in these days of limited resources.”
Also on Friday, Hulvey was appointed acting police chief by Gill.
Hulvey has an undergraduate degree from Missouri Southern State University and earned her master’s degree in Criminal Justice at California State University.
Hulvey joined the Pittsburg Police Department in 2000. Previously, she served as a police officer in Columbus and taught law enforcement at Labette Community College.
Gill said that Hulvey has the experience and ability to lead the police department and he is confident she will perform her duties in a skilled and professional manner.
“I look forward to serving the needs of the community,” Hulvey said. “I think this is a great community and I love the interaction I have with the citizens and being involved.”