Meet Port Huron Police Department's newest community service officer
Sam Baker made his social media debut for the Port Huron Police Department four years ago by lip-synching "I Want it That Way" by the Backstreet Boys.
Now, he wants to again use the power of social media to connect to residents as the department's newest community resource officer.
This time, there will be less lip-synching.
Baker plans to build on the department's existing community policing model – a concept that positions every officer as a community service officer who is available for citizen concerns in their designated service area – by hosting zone updates via Facebook live.
He wants to collaborate with neighborhood watch groups and other residents to provide updates on what's going on in specific neighborhoods. He said he also wants to use the platform so residents can ask questions and have discussions with officers in real time.
"This is just one of the avenues that I see that we can use to go forward to have that constant, open dialogue, making it easier for people to talk to us, and not just having to call a zone officer and wait for a response or send an email in and wait for that to filter through," Baker said. "We can do more to get information out even if people aren't requesting it."
Baker said he also wants to expand to other social media platforms, such as the Ring app, to further foster discussions with residents and get information out. He is looking forward to attending community events to learn how to further connect with residents and get involved in the community.
Baker has been with the department as an officer for more than four years. He has also been a cadet mentor and a member of the department's recruitment team.
Port Huron Police Assistant Chief Marcy Kuehn said Baker has an extensive background planning events and the department is excited to see him as the new community service officer.
"Sam Baker cares about people," Kuehn said. "He is a problem solver and a creative thinker. We look forward to him engaging with the public in this new role, bringing in new ideas, and pushing our social media engagement to the next level."
Cops and Jocks Spaghetti Dinner
Baker will take over the position from Duane Hunger, who was recently promoted to detective, after the Cops and Jocks Spaghetti Dinner from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 26 at the Seaway Terminal, 2336 Military St., Port Huron.
The annual dinner – sponsored by Chef Shell's and Radio First – supports the Port Huron Police Department's CAPTURE program, which reduces crime by providing an anonymous hotline for residents to send in crime tips. The dinner supports the majority of the program's budget, Hunger said.
"The CAPTURE program is a great program that helps our department and the community ( . . . ) (The spaghetti dinner) is a great place to meet people, network and to see officers in a different light," Hunger said.
Hunger said the dinner also supports the Fast Fifty program in the Port Huron Area School District. School resource officers place posters in the schools encouraging students to report crime. If the tip is substantiated, the student receives a $50 reward.
Tickets are $10 each and include spaghetti, salad, breadsticks, a drink and a cupcake. Participants can either eat at the Seaway Terminal or have the food delivered to them by a Port Huron Police Officer or Radio First DJ.
Call (810) 984-9715 or (810) 984-9710 to reserve tickets or delivery. Tickets can also be purchased at the door.
Chef Shell's is also donating 10% of its profits on dine-in and take-out sales to the CAPTURE program every Tuesday in October.
Contact Laura Fitzgerald at (810) 941-7072 or lfitzgeral@gannett.com.