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Leading the way to gratitude

Leadership Fort Dodge gifts first responders in effort to say thanks

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen Fort Dodge Assistant Police Chief Roger Porter, center, talks to members of the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance Leadership Fort Dodge class Thursday afternoon as they visited the station to drop off gift bags for the officers and to tour the building. Gift bags will also be given to the Webster County Sheriff’s deputies, the state troopers at Post 7 and the firefighters at the Fort Dodge Fire Department.

Each of the gift bags given Thursday to members of the Fort Dodge Police Department, the Webster County Sheriff’s Department, the Iowa State Patrol troopers at Post 7 and the firefighters at the Fort Dodge Fire Department included a handwritten note from an individual member of the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance’s Leadership Fort Dodge class.

They all shared a simple sentiment.

“Thanks for your dedication to protecting this community,” one of the notes said.

Members of the Leadership Fort Dodge class — a year long program to prepare individuals to take an active role in the community – came up with the gift bag idea during one of their meetings.

Jill Nelson, community development director with the Growth Alliance, oversees the program.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen Each of the gift bags given to the officers also contained a note thanking them for their service to the community.

“It was inspired by the participants,” she said. “They knew they were coming to the police and fire departments and they wanted to do something special.”

Each bag contained a variety of items that included candy bars, chemical hand warmers, small packages of tissues, gourmet coffee, home baked cookies, bottled water and even an insulated cup or two.

“The contents were donated by the participants from their places of work and businesses,” Nelson said. “It’s a well stocked bag.”

Fort Dodge Police Chief Kevin Doty and Assistant Police Chief Roger Porter were both on hand to welcome the group and accept the gifts on behalf of the department.

The visit gave Porter and Doty a chance to talk about the work their department is doing in the community and to pass on some good news.

“Crime is actually down and it’s been trending down,” Porter said, “It’s down 23 percent.”

Porter stressed that while the actual amount of crime in Fort Dodge is down, the public perception of the amount of crime in the community is just the opposite. Two homicides and several shootings are recent events that make things seem worse overall then they actually are.

He said that much of that perception comes from social media.

“Wait until the press release comes out,” he said. “Most of what’s out there is just rumors or false information.”

Porter said his department also uses social media to relay information and keep the public informed. He added that one of his goals is keep the lines of communication open.

“One of our goals is to strengthen our relationship with the community,” he said.

He also urged the Leadership Fort Dodge class and anyone else with an interest to sign up for the department’s next Citizens Academy.

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