New Scott City police chief Chris Griggs addresses staffing, protecting community

Chris Griggs is heading a police department less than 10 miles from where he grew up.

A Chaffee, Missouri, native, Griggs, 47, was named Scott City's interim police chief Sept. 5. Mayor Norman Brant and City Council members removed the interim tag Sept. 18.

Griggs follows Rick Walter, who led the department for 18 months until his recent retirement.

The Southeast Missourian recently sat down with Chief Griggs and the city's administrator, Dustin Whitworth. (Responses to questions were subject to some editing for space and clarity.)

Chief, you are a career peace officer with tenures with several local police departments. Scott City police are operating with a complement of nine officers, down two from full strength. In the wake of the George Floyd incident in May 2020, what is your experience recruiting personnel to law enforcement careers?

Griggs: It is extraordinarily hard. One of the things we have to look at when we hire someone is not only their training but their character as well. When we hire somebody, there are two objectives. One, we want a professional, ethical police officer. Two, we want that officer to have an interest and investment in this community. Yes, we're not at full strength right, now but with the staff we have now, we are taking care of business for the citizens. A luxury we have is the ability to wait for the right people for Scott City. We want officers brought into the department to be properly trained and have investment in our town and in protecting the community.

Whitworth: Chris and I have known each other since the '90s and became friends when we were in the volunteer fire department here. We both left Scott City years ago to broaden our knowledge and our networking and now we're back here together, bringing all those resources from elsewhere back here. We can both retire from the city, and we both want to do that. I just want to say something about faith. Chris attends an Assembly of God church with Pastor Randy Morris. Last month, after the chief's appointment, the church's deacons and staff prayed over Chris and for our city so that Godly decisions are made. We want to be two men who work side by side, not just as co-workers or as police chief and city administrator, but as friends.

Chief Griggs, you mentioned protection of the community is a core value. What is your philosophy on that point?

Griggs: Protection is not simply about the people who live in the city; it's also about the town's businesses, the people who pass through your town and your ballparks, everything. We protect our citizens, of course. We also have to apply our laws evenly with integrity, with fairness and impartiality. This includes a person from Nebraska who may pull off the interstate to get gas. This also includes a person we take off the streets who may have committed a crime. Our officers will randomly select a business and get out of their patrol cars and go in and meet with its staff members. We ask how things are going and if there's anything our police can do to help. I know this is happening because businesses are calling me and telling me about those visits.

Your law enforcement career took you to Miner, Missouri, for about a decade where you were elected three times by the citizens as police chief. You were impeached in March 2019, a decision which was upheld later in court. Tell us about that experience.

Griggs: There are certain things I can't talk about because of a nondisclosure agreement. Miner Board of Aldermen and I had impasses we couldn't get over. A single judge heard my appeal and sided with the city, citing something called "a rule of necessity". It felt like a witch hunt. After that, I had a chance for another appeal before a panel of five judges in Cape Girardeau County. I chose not to pursue it because I'd already spent so much money on the initial appeal and was tired of the publicity and negativity. Not everything was negative in that process because a lot of good things were said about me and how I chose to run that police department. My wife and children went through this with me and I couldn't put them through it again. I don't have any hard feelings because I realized I got a pretty good education. The experience taught me a lot of things about administration, about government and, unfortunately, about politics and about people. I have zero hard feelings about Miner. There are some really good people there. I believe God put my feet on a pathway to land me where I am right now here in Scott City.