LOCAL SPOTLIGHT - Meet Moulon’s Police Chief Mitchell Bennett.

LOCAL SPOTLIGHT

Moulton Police Chief Mitchell Bennett

ON PATROL It Starts at Home

MOULTON POLICE CHIEF MITCHELL BENNETT LAYS OUT HIS VISION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY

by Michelle Banse Stokes, photos by Emily Henderson

Afamiliar face around town, Moulton Police Chief Mitchell Bennett is breaking barriers and building bridges in his community. A 20-year law enforcement veteran, public service clearly runs in his blood.

“It’s a calling,” said Bennet. “I started my law enforcement career in 2001 as a jailer in Gonzales County. Prior to that, my mom was a sheriff’s deputy in Lavaca County and my stepfather was also a sheriff’s deputy. It came naturally for me as I grew older. One of the major influences in my life was the tragic death of a good friend of mine, Sgt. David Furrh of the Gonzales County Sherriff’s Office.”

Furrh was killed in the line of duty in 2000 while serving a warrant to search a residence in Luling.

“I knew him extremely well,” shared Bennett. “He was one of my mom’s partners in Lavaca County. When he was killed, I knew law enforcement was something I wanted to pursue.”

With a positive daily outlook, Chief Bennett’s starts every day with one objective in mind.

“I always want to try and make a difference in someone’s life,’ added Bennett. “I always try and tell myself that if I can change or save just one life, my purpose is complete. I feel the majority of people do appreciate law enforcement and it’s an honorable career. Over the course of my 20 year career a lot has changed for us, what’s expected of law enforcement and our respon-

LOCAL SPOTLIGHT

sibilities. Unfortunately, here lately, the career has sometimes been shown in a negative light and, unfortunately, has had some negativity associated with it. I don’t want that negativity to reflect on us as a whole.”

To combat those global challenges, Moulton has implemented several strategies that work to build community relations and citizen engagement.

“We live here in the community with everyone, and we want to be approachable,” shared Bennett. “I like our officers to get involved in the community. We treat everyone with the same respect that we would want in return. We also do a lot with the schools and are focused on protecting our youth. For example, our school has the Guardian Program, and we work closely with them on new construction, as well as access to cameras for security purposes and the safety of the kids.” And although life may seem to move at a slower pace in the country, a police chief’s work in a small town is always busy and never boring. When Chief Bennett’s pager goes off, he can only guess what’s waiting for him.

“In addition to my administrative duties, I may get called out for a dog running loose, a house alarm that went off, or cows that escaped their pasture,” said Bennett with a grin. “I also oversee all of our investigations and do grant writing for the city. But it’s great working in Moulton, a town that is very community orientated. I like the small-town atmosphere. I grew up in Hallettsville and it’s the same thing over there.”

When not wearing the uniform, Chief Bennett tries to schedule time to pursue his passion for the outdoors and hunting.

“When I was little, I was never exposed to hunting,” shared Bennett. “It wasn’t until I was married that my father-in-law introduced me to it. My first deer was a eight-point buck with an 18-inch spread, a nice buck for this area. When the kids were little, I enjoyed taking them along with me, too.”

Chief Bennett is quick to share how grateful he is for the support he has received from the community and his plans moving forward.

“I’m thankful for the support of the community, as well as our local city council,” said Bennett. “We are out here trying to do what is in the best interest of the people that we serve. At the end of the day, we all realize that there’s one ultimate goal in this – the safety of everyone and to protect lives and secure property.”

Chief Bennett is one of four full-time officers in Moulton, along with four reserves. He can be reached at Moulton City Hall, 102 Main Street.

Moulton City Hall is located at 102 Main Street.

I may get called out for a dog running loose, a house alarm that went off, or cows that escaped their pasture.