Jack sworn in as Ossian’s new police chief
By DAVE SCHULTZ
Veteran Indiana State Trooper Kurt Jack officially took the oath of office Saturday to become Ossian’s new police chief.
Jack succeeds David Rigney, who resigned from his post effective Jan. 1 after being elected as the Lancaster Township trustee.
Jack, 65, began his law enforcement career in 1981 and recently retired from the ISP after 40 years’ service.
Jack is no stranger to Ossian as his service with the state police included patrols in Wells County. A statement from the Ossian Board of Metropolitan Police Commissioners says that Jack and is family “is rooted in Wells County.”
Jack’s father was an Indiana State Police trooper and his mother was a registered nurse. He grew up in Sturgis, Mich., and graduated from high school in LaGrange, Ind.
He is a farmer and owns a haymaking business in Wells County.
Jack has to rebuild a department that has a depleted roster. He has a photo collage of OPD personnel in his office that is not on the wall, primarily because only one of the people is still with the department.
“We’ll have to work to find officers who want to work in a small town,” he said after he was sworn in Saturday.
Jack said he also wants to emphasize a community-based policing style in Ossian, “focusing on problem-oriented policing. I want to develop a professional, competent, effect, responsive, and respected police department in Ossian and a leadership style where the officers work as one cohesive team.”
The police commissioners said they wanted to find a candidate to enhance the culture of the OPD, establish relationships with the town’s residents and business owners, and improve the relationship with the department as a whole, with the police commissioners, and with the town council.
“Our ultimate goal is to make sure that all the parties involved are communicating and working together to ensure that the citizens are safe, and that the department operates in a fiscally responsible manner,” Bob Miller, the police commissioners’ vice chairman, said in the statement announcing Jack’s appointment. “As we work to rebuild the department and its reputation, we are excited to have a chief with the experience and the reputation that Chief Jack has.”
Brian McClish has been serving as the interim chief since Rigney’s resignation.
daves@news-banner.com
