Blake Lovan of Stockton has been hired as an administrative assistant to the Stockton police force. He began working on October 16 and is stationed at the shared police and fire department office.
"I take the paperwork off the officers' backs," Lovan said. His role significantly lightens the load for the two officers in the new police force, allowing them to focus on their primary duties. Lovan stays current with cases, works on fine-tuning city ordinances, and keeps officers informed on non-emergency calls to the station.
Now, citizens can direct their questions or complaints to the police department, and Lovan will relay those calls to the officers. This service is particularly valuable for non-emergency situations, allowing officers to focus on critical calls.
Emergencies, however, must go to 911 and are dispatched through the Cedar County Sheriff's Department.
"If someone calls the police department from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., I will get the call and let officers know ...," Lovan said. "If it is after 4 p.m., they can leave a voicemail, and I will get the call at seven when I come in and let the officers know."
Lovan comes to the position with various qualifications. He has almost ten years of law enforcement experience, is Terminal Agency Coordinator (TAC) certified, and is Missouri Uniformed Law Enforcement System (MULES) certified. He has worked in various positions for Cedar, Barton, and Christian Counties.