For the first time in 23 years, State College will have a new police chief.
Current Assistant Chief John Gardner was officially introduced Tuesday as the successor to Tom King, who has held the post since 1993. And before King’s appointment, Elwood Williams had served in the role since 1974. So the appointing of a new top cop in the borough isn’t something the comes along very often.
But like King before him, Gardner brings experience to the position. He’s risen through the ranks as officer, detective, corporal, sergeant, lieutenant and captain before becoming assistant chief, and now chief, and he’s served in virtually every aspect of the department, from patrolman to investigator to shift supervisor to commander.
‘Throughout his career, he has demonstrated leadership in the department,’ Borough Manager Tom Fountaine said in announcing Gardner’s selection from among three internal candidates. ‘He has conducted himself with integrity and demonstrated strong moral and ethical character in his professional affairs as well as in his personal life.’
Gardner thanked his colleagues, mentors and family at a press conference, and recognized King, who is retiring and transitioning to a new role as the borough’s assistant manager for public safety, for his leadership.
“Chief King, you set the bar extremely high for this department and this community, and I aspire to do likewise,” Gardner said. “We’re about to embark on a new journey with new leadership. Some things will change but many will not.”
Acknowledging the recent challenges faced by police nationwide, and the strains between law enforcement and some of the communities they serve, Gardner offered his perspective on a number of key issues for State College Police as he is set to begin his tenure on Sept. 1.
‘Many of the communities that are having challenges between police and those they serve are lacking in one or more critical areas,’ Gardner said. ‘It is necessary for us to learn not only from those who do it well, but also learn from others that don’t do it well.
On Community Policing
‘We have practiced a community-oriented policing service philosophy for more than two decades now. But the importance of community policing is more critical now than it has ever been. We must continue to build on existing partnerships, reaching out to not just some of the segments of our community, but all of our segments, with a specific emphasis on underrepresented populations.’
On Diversity
‘We will continue to embrace a commitment to achieving diversity within the police department so that our agency is a true reflection of the community we serve. While we have attempted many strategies to recruit and hire a more diverse workforce for years now, we have not been successful. Going forward we must work harder to be successful and we can begin by focusing on the recommendations provided in the Task Force on Policing and Communities of Color report.’
‘Another vital trait of a successful police department is accountability of all members of the department. All of us must hold each other accountable in order for the community to have the trust in our agency to provide professional, fair and impartial police services. It is expected that we will continue to be accountable to each other as well as the community we serve.’
On Transparency
‘It is essential we create an environment of openness and transparency. This environment is created by instilling and practicing openness on a daily basis and doing it consistently. There may be many times being transparent is not comfortable, but trusted and respected police departments are open to the public, even during their most difficult times.’
On Officer Safety
‘Policing is a very challenging profession. Most people entering law enforcement do so from a passion and commitment to helping others. There are many long hours, weekends, holidays, missed time with families. To serve the community well we must first take care of ourselves and each other from a health and well-being standpoint. I will focus on doing what we can as a police agency to keep our officers and staff mentally and physically well, as well as doing what we can to mitigate the risks that can exist when responding to calls for police service.’
On Continuing to Work with Community and Campus in Unity
The Community and Campus in Unity (CCU) group was founded by King and local pastor Harold Mackenzie in 2014 to promote a respectful multi-cultural community. Gardner has been active with the group from its start. Penn State Professor Emeritus and Borough Planning Commission member Charles Dumas asked Gardner if he would continue to work closely with the group.
‘Most definitely. That’s the only way we can make this as a community. We have to do it together and it’s going to be a hallmark and high point of my term here. We have to continue doing it.’
‘It takes a unique individual to police in a college town. Maturation is a process and most 18-to-23-year-olds aren’t there yet. We have to hire people who won’t overreact when they respond to calls or when they’re dealing with young people. Policing in a college town, especially State College, is not for everyone. That’s why we go through a very rigorous screening process and testing program to find the very best to do that. We’re engaged in that process right now to hire the next generation of police officers for State College. It’s not an easy process but something that has to be done. We’ve opened up our recruiting and testing process to the community like we never have before.’
On Helping International Students Feel More Comfortable with Police
‘I think like any other group we’ve worked with we have to reach out to them, like we did with CCU. We have to reach out to the international students. Much like we did with all of our partnerships. It’s going to be on us. I understand they are coming here, many suspicious of police because of their own unique experiences. It’s going to be incumbent upon us to reach out and bridge that gap and it’s going to be emphasis for this administration.’
