Tallassee Police Department chief Matthew Higgins took the position Jan. 11, 2017, and since that time there have been many changes at TPD. The Tallassee Tribune held an exclusive Q&A with Higgins to take a look back over the past four years and chat about some of the changes that have been made and things yet to come.
Q: Since taking the position as Tallassee's chief of police, what do think has been the biggest overall change in the department?
kAmk6>mpi x E9:?< E96C6 92G6 366? 2 =@E @7 492?86D 3@E9 :?D:56 2?5 @FED:56] x E9:?< E96 6?E:C6 A6CD@?2=:EJ 2?5 2EE:EF56 @7 E96 56A2CE>6?E 92D 492?865] (6 92G6 366? H@C<:?8 G6CJ 92C5 E@ 36 2 36EE6C 56A2CE>6?E 6249 J62C] w@A67F==J[ E96 :?E6C?2= 492?86D 92G6 492?865 E96 AF3=:4 A6C46AE:@? @7 E96 56A2CE>6?E 2D H6==]k^6>mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m"i %96C6 :D ?@ 5@F3E E92E J@F 92G6 >256 2? :>A24E @? E96 56A2CE>6?E] w@H 92D E96 56A2CE>6?E :>A24E65 J@Fnk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmk6>mpi (96? x H2D 2 C@@<:6 @77:46C >2?J J62CD 28@[ x H2D E@=5 J@F D9@F=5 =62C? D@>6E9:?8 7C@> 6G6CJ@?6 J@F H@C< H:E9] $@>6E:>6D E9@D6 =6DD@?D 2C6 8@@5 2?5 D@>6E:>6D E96J 2C6 9@H ?@E E@ 5@ E9:?8D[ 3FE :EVD DE:== =62C?:?8] tG6CJ @?6 @7 E96 6>A=@J66D :? E9:D 56A2CE>6?E :D :>A@CE2?E E@ >6 2?5 92D 2? :>A24E @? >6] %96J 2C6 E96 @?6D E92E >2<6 E96 492?86D A@DD:3=6j :E 42?VE 36 5@?6 3J @?6 A6CD@?] tG6CJ@?6 92D 2 ;@3 E@ 5@[ 2?5 :7 E96J 2C6?VE 5@:?8 :E E96 6?E:C6 E62> DF776CD] %9:D ;@3 C6BF:C6D 2 8@@5 E62>] xE >2J 36 2 4=:49é 3FE E9:D :D 2 72>:=J]k^6>mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m"i x7 J@F 4@F=5 >2<6 2?J 255:E:@?2= 492?86D :? E96 56A2CE>6?E[ H92E H@F=5 E96J 36nk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmk6>mpi %96C6 H:== 2=H2JD 36 E9:?8D E92E ?665 E@ 36 492?865 @C :>AC@G65] (92E :D H@C<:?8 E@52J >2J ?@E 36 E96 H2J E@ 5@ :E E@>@CC@H] %9:D ;@3 :D 2=H2JD 492?8:?8 2?5 6G@=G:?8] (6 42? 6:E96C 4@?E:?F6 E@ >@G6 7@CH2C5 @C 72== 369:?5] x 36=:6G6 :? 4@?DE2?E=J 2DD6DD:?8 H96C6 H6 2C6 2?5 H96C6 H6 ?665 E@ 36] x E9:?< H6 @?=J 72:= H96? H6 5@?VE ECJ] x 92G6 EC:65 E9:?8D E92E 5:5?VE H@C< 7@C @?6 C62D@? @C 2?@E96C 2?5 925 E@ ECJ :E 2 5:776C6?E H2J] x ECJ E@ 4@?D:56C H92E E96 56A2CE>6?E H:== 36 ?6IE J62C[ E96? 7:G6 J62CD[ E96? A2DE E92E]k^6>mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m"i w2G6 A@=:46 @77:46C^4@>>F?:EJ >6>36C :?E6C24E:@?D 492?865 D:?46 J@F 3642>6 49:67n x7 D@[ A=62D6 6IA=2:?]k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmk6>mpi x 766= =:<6 E96J 92G6] x ECJ E@ 6?4@FC286 2== E96 @77:46CD E@ 36 2 A2CE @7 E96 4@>>F?:EJ] x 5@?VE 36=:6G6 4@>>F?:EJ :?G@=G6>6?E :D ;FDE 92G:?8 2? 6G6?E 7@C E96 4@>>F?:EJ] r@>>F?:EJ :?G@=G6>6?E :D E96 @77:46C E92E DE@AD :? J@FC 3FD:?6DDj :EVD E96 :?E6C24E:@? @? 2 42==j :EVD 2? :?G6DE:82E@C 8:G:?8 J@F 2DD:DE2?46 36J@?5 ;FDE J@FC 42D6j :EVD >2<:?8 J@FC ?6:893@C9@@5 D276Cj :EVD D9@H:?8 FA 2E 2 D49@@= 6G6?Ej :EVD 36:?8 2E 2 4@F?4:= >66E:?8] !C@76DD:@?2= @77:46CD :?E6C24E H:E9 E96 4@>>F?:EJ 6249 52J 3642FD6 H6 ?665 6249 @E96C :? @C56C E@ >2<6 E9:?8D 36EE6C]k^6>mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m"i w@H >2?J @77:46CD 2C6 E96C6 @? E96 7@C46 ?@H[ 2?5 9@H >2?J H6C6 E96C6 H96? J@F DE2CE65nk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmk6>mpi %96 56A2CE>6?E :D 4FCC6?E=J 2==@EE65 aa 7F==\E:>6 @77:46C A@D:E:@?D] (96? x DE2CE65 H6 H6C6 2==@EE65 a` 7F==\E:>6 @77:46C A@D:E:@?D] %92E >2J @?=J D66> =:<6 2 5:776C6?46 @7 @?6 >2E96>2E:42==J[ 9@H6G6C[ E9@D6 A@D:E:@?D H6C6?VE 36:?8 FE:=:K65 E@ E96:C 7F== A@E6?E:2= H96? x 8@E 96C6 :? >J @A:?:@?] $:?46 36:?8 96C6 2?5 5@:?8 D6G6C2= C6DECF4EFC6D @7 E96 56A2CE>6?E[ H6 92G6 366? 23=6 E@ :?4C62D6 56E64E:G6D 7C@> EH@ E@ E9C66[ :?4C62D6 D49@@= C6D@FC46 @77:46CD 7C@> @?6 E@ E9C66[ 2?5 E9C@F89 E96 25;FDE>6?E :? A2EC@= 8:G6 FD >@C6 @77:46CD 5FC:?8 @FC A62< 42== 9@FCD]k^6>mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m"i ~G6C2==[ 92D E96 4C:>6 C2E6 :?4C62D65 @C 564C62D65 D:?46 364@>:?8 49:67nk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmk6>mpi rC:>6 C2E6D 4@?DE2?E=J 7=F4EF2E6[ 3FE @G6C2== H6 92G6 D66? 2 564C62D6 :? 4C:>6] x 86E DE2ED 6249 >@?E9 2?5 4@>A2C6 DE2E:DE:4D 2E E96 6?5 @7 6249 J62C E@ D66 9@H H6 2C6 5@:?8 2D 2 56A2CE>6?E] (6 92G6 D66? 42==D 7@C D6CG:46 :?4C62D6 6249 J62C ;FDE =:<6 >@DE A=246D[ 3FE E96 56A2CE>6?E 92D DE:== >2?2865 E@ >2<6 >@C6 2CC6DED 6249 J62C[ 4=@D6 >@C6 42D6D 2?5 >2<6 >@C6 DE@AD E92? 367@C6] %9:D AC@24E:G6 2AAC@249 :D E96 H2J E@ 32EE=6 4C:>6]k^6>mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m"i x? J@FC @A:?:@?[ H92E 2C6 %!sVD 8C62E6DE DEC6?8E9Dnk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmk6>mpi %96 56A2CE>6?EVD 8C62E6DE DEC6?8E9 :D E96 A6@A=6] }@ >2EE6C H92E =:?6 @7 H@C< J@F 2C6 :?[ :7 J@F H2?E 2 8@@5 3FD:?6DD[ J@F 36EE6C 92G6 8@@5 6>A=@J66D] x H@C< 92C5 E@ >2<6 DFC6 >J 6>A=@J66D <?@H E92E E96J 2C6 E96 A@=:46 56A2CE>6?E] %96D6 2C6 E96 A6@A=6 E92E H@C< 2C@F?5 E96 4=@4<[ H66<6?5D 2?5 9@=:52JD[ 2?5 D24C:7:46 E:>6 H:E9 E96:C 72>:=:6D :? @C56C E@ AC@E64E @E96CD] %96J 2== 92G6 F?:BF6 23:=:E:6D E92E 2C6 :>A@CE2?E E@ E96 >:DD:@? 2D 2 H9@=6] x 2> AC@F5 @7 E96> 2?5 4@?D:56C >JD6=7 7@CEF?2E6 E@ 92G6 E96>]k^6>mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m"i x? J@FC @A:?:@?[ H92E 2C6 %!sVD 8C62E6DE H62<?6DD6Dnk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmk6>mpi #:89E ?@H x E9:?< @FC H62<?6DD :D D:>:=2C E@ 2 =@E @7 56A2CE>6?ED] tG6CJ 52J :E 364@>6D >@C6 5:77:4F=E E@ 7:?5 A6@A=6 E92E H2?E E@ 5@ H92E H6 5@] ~77:46C C64CF:E>6?E :D E@F89 6G6CJH96C6 2?5 H6 92G6 A=246D 4=@D6 3J E92E A2J >@C6 2?5 @776C >@C6 :?46?E:G6D] (6 2C6 369:?5 @? 2 =@E @7 6BF:A>6?E 2?5 E649?@=@8J E92E H@F=5 96=A FD 5@ @FC ;@3 36EE6C] tBF:A>6?E 2?5 E649?@=@8J 2C6 6IA6?D:G6 D@ J@F 92G6 E@ AC:@C:E:K6 2?5 2EE24< J@FC ?665D :? A92D6D] (6 92G6 H@C<65 E@ 86E 8C2?ED E@ 96=A 3FE H6 DE:== 92G6 2 =@?8 H2J E@ 8@]k^6>mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m"i (92E :D J@FC 7FEFC6 G:D:@? 7@C %!sn k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmk6>mpi x H2?E E@ D66 E96 56A2CE>6?E 4@?E:?F6 E@ 8C@H 2?5 :>AC@G6 6G6CJ 52J] x H@F=5 =:<6 E@ D66 @FC ?F>36CD 8C@H 2?5 7@C FD E@ 92G6 D@>6 @7 E96 E9:?8D H6 2C6 >:DD:?8 :? E96 6BF:A>6?E 2?5 E649?@=@8J 2C62] x H@F=5 =:<6 E@ D66 FD 36 23=6 E@ A2J >@C6 :? E96 7FEFC6] x H2?E E@ 4@?E:?F6 E@ D66 FD AC@24E:G6=J 32EE=:?8 4C:>6 9625 @? E@ >2<6 E96 4:EJ D276C] x 9@A6 E@ 4@?E:?F6 H@C<:?8 H:E9 E96 >2J@C[ 4@F?4:=[ 2?5 >@DE :>A@CE2?E=J E96 4:E:K6?D E@ >2<6 %2==2DD66 36EE6C] x 92G6 AFE :? 2 =@E @7 E:>6[ 677@CE 2?5 92C5 H@C< E@ 86E 96C6] %96C6 2C6 E:>6D H96? >J 564:D:@?D 92G6?VE 366? A@AF=2C 2?5 H6C6 >6E H:E9 C6D:DE2?46[ 9@H6G6C[ E96J H6C6 H92E H2D 36DE 7@C E96 56A2CE>6?E :? E96 =@?8 CF?] ~=5 H2JD 5@?VE @A6? ?6H 5@@CD] xE 92D 366? 2? 9@?@C E@ 5@ E9:D ;@3 2?5 x 9@A6 x 86E E@ 36 96C6 7@C >2?J J62CD E@ 4@>6]Â k^6>mk^Am
