Catching up with the new Georgetown Police Chief
GEORGETOWN, Del.- Georgetown Police Department has a new chief, Ralph Holm, and he’s already trying to make strides in the community to make a difference. “I’ve reached my goal, which was to be the Chief of Police here, however I’m also very driven and just because I’ve reached it now; I’m not done,” Chief Holm said.
Leading a team is nothing new for Chief Holm. Years ago he was also Chief of Police at a smaller agency and he ended up leaving that job to come to Georgetown. During his 20 plus years at this department, he wore several hats. “I was the Special Events Coordinator for everything, so I was always behind the scenes for the planning stages and then when the actual event came I was one of the workers,” Chief Holm said.
Now as the man in charge, he has items on the list he wants so check off, like getting electric scooters and a motorcycle unit. “Sometimes driving by in an air- conditioned car with the windows all rolled up does not always give a friendly feeling, even if you’re waving to people as you drive by them,” Chief Holm said. “These scooters are designed to put the people out there again, they will be a draw to the kids.”
That’s not all Chief Holm is trying to push. “My mantra is more in service to our community and I really mean that,” Chief Holm said. “If somebody comes to us, if its not a crime, that doesn’t mean we can’t do anything for them.”
Chief Holm also says they are testing out new equipment, like a new license plate readers. “In those two weeks, we’ve already recovered a stolen vehicle and a wanted out of state fugitive; in addition to being alerted on multiple other stolen vehicles in the area,” Chief Holm said.
And while Chief Holm has many ideas for the departments future, he needs more officers to help create his vision and fill vacant spots. “Instead of saying I don’t want to be a police officer because of all these bad reasons, think about wanting to be a police officer to be a part of the change for the good reasons; come to Georgetown,” Chief Holm said.
Currently, the department has 16 officers but they are approved for 21. We’re told part of the issue with getting new officers is the process is very long. But, if you would like to join their team, Chief Holm said they have a competitive salary and excel in pay raises.
