“We’re an imperfect profession in an imperfect world. We, as police officers, are judged for bad outcomes instead of good outcomes.” —Todd Hunter || Kilgore Chief of Police
Vol. 81, No. 4 Serving Kilgore College since 1936
September 29, 2017
THE ‘DAY IN THE LIFE’ LECTURE SERIES
Kilgore Police Chief Todd Hunter speaks to students about career possibilities at the Randolph C. Watson Library. This lecture kicks off a series of career discussions at KC.
The right KC side of the badge
Grace Garcia / THE FLARE
Law enforcement first career featured in KC lecture series LUCAS STROUGH Staff Writer
IF YOU GO
has introduced a new speaker series for the fall semester
that is intended to help students learn more about career possibilities. The “Day in the Life” series will feature professional speakers from various career fields and will give students the opportunity to find out what it’s like to work in a job which interests them.
The first event in this series featured Kilgore Police Chief Todd Hunter and took place on the second floor of the Randolph C. Watson Library on Tuesday, Sept. 19. Hunter has been the Chief of Police for the city of Kilgore since February 2011. Hunter used his considerable experience in law enforcement to deliver answers and insights to a group of students at the event to learn more about this career choice. Hunter answered students’ questions as he delivered his presentation. The questions focused on the positives and negatives of a career in law enforcement. “I get to make a difference in my community. As an officer, I get to make a difference on the street, even if it’s just helping to change a tire. That’s what I love about the job that I do,” Hunter said. When asked to comment on some negative aspects of his career, Hunter said “The
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The series continues with a second lecture by Jessica Tidwell on nursing at 1- 2:30 p.m. and 3 to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 17 and a third installment on counseling by Tina Rushing at 1-2:30 p.m. and 3 to 4:30 p.m. Nov. 15, both in the Randolph C. Watson Library. scrutiny that we face as police officers. We’re an imperfect profession in an imperfect world. We, as police officers, are judged for bad outcomes instead of good outcomes.” Other questions centered on the practical issues of a career as a police officer. “Find the right place if you want to be a police officer,” said Hunter, in response to a question about turnover rates among police officers. Hunter elaborated that officers who find the right department generally stay employed for a long time and retire after lengthy careers. Hunter also discussed the changing nature of law enforcement as media scrutiny has intensified on police-involved shootings. He explained that mental health services have greatly improved for officers who experience traumatic events and that Kilgore police officers undergo post-critical incident training at Sam Houston State University on a regular basis. He also described the different requirements that various police departments across Texas have for officers, explaining that officers are required by state law to receive 40 hours of continuing education training each year but that many officers he works with receive much more training than required. Hunter emphasized that police work demands a high degree of professionalism and responsibility. He explained that he SEE DAY IN THE LIFE on Page 3
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