DAYTON, Iowa (AP) - On occasion, Nick Dunbar, the Dayton fire chief and Dayton police chief, literally gets to wear the fire helmet from one job with the police uniform from the other.
It’s what happens when you’re on duty as a police officer and something catches on fire, The Messenger (https://bit.ly/2ngFf3u ) reported.
You go to the station, fire up a truck, put on your helmet - then go.
Dunbar’s fire career and law enforcement careers run parallel courses. They’ve both been lifetime interests and they’ve both brought him to Dayton and witnessed his return there after a short absence.
“Way back in the day,” Dunbar joked, “I started as a reservist with the University Heights Police on Sept. 19, 2001.”
He eventually became a correctional officer, serving in the Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Oakdale, the Newton Correctional Facility and the North Central Rockwell City facilities.
“I kind of bounced around a little bit,” he said.
In 2009, he returned to pursue his criminal justice degree and emergency medical technician certificate at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge.
“That’s when I got started with the Fort Dodge/Webster County Reservists,” he said.
Dunbar first patrolled the streets of Dayton in 2010 when he served as a reservist under then Dayton Police Chief Chris Weiland.
“When he came back in 2011 he was accepted at the Fort Dodge Police Department,” Dunbar said. “That’s when I was promoted to chief.”
It was also in 2011 that he joined the Dayton Fire Department as a firefighter.
“It’s something I also enjoy doing.” he said.
His fellow firefighters elected him to the chief’s position in December.
Dunbar learned about fire fighting early while growing up in Fort Dodge.
“The Fort Dodge Fire Department had an explorers program then,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed firefighting also.”
Dunbar got to know the department’s members as a working officer and would often put his mechanical skills to help with maintaining the equipment and other work around the station.
“They kind of pushed me in the direction of being an actual member,” Dunbar joked.
Dunbar graduated from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in 2012. In early 2014, Dunbar accepted a position with the Fort Dodge Police Department as a patrol officer.
It meant moving and putting away his turnout coat.
“I had to give up Dayton Fire and Rescue,” he said.
Dunbar left the Fort Dodge department in March 2016.
“That’s when I got started with Otho/Duncombe Police,” he said. “I worked there till June when I returned here to Dayton.”
Dunbar said he gained some valuable experience and skills during his time in Fort Dodge.
“My time in Fort Dodge was pretty valuable,” he said. “The sheer call volume, the different types of calls.”
While the call volume in Dayton may be quite a bit less, Dunbar still has to be ready to respond whether he’s on duty or not.
“You can work a 10-hour shift where nothing much happens,” he said. “Then 15 minutes later a call comes in.”
Dunbar said he found Dayton much as he left it. However, the department has seen some technical advances. They are now equipped with the MACH and TRACS systems that allows officers to be dispatched digitally, fill out reports on their computer, communicate with other officers and use GPS to locate each other.
He’s also working to renew and train new officers for the town’s reserve force.
“When I came back there were only two,” he said. “We’re up to five now.”
Dunbar intends to stick around.
“We’ve set down roots,” he said. “We really like the community.”
Dunbar was serving as chief during the abduction and murder of Kathlynn Shepard, 15, in June of 2013.
“Kathlynn was a bad one,” Dunbar said. “To say those three weeks were long is an understatement.”
The effects of her murder are still felt in Dayton today.
“It’s been a slow healing process for the community,” he said. “It’s not close to what it was. I used to hear ’This is Dayton, that doesn’t happen here.’ Since then I haven’t heard that. Kathlynn is a tragic reminder that kind of thing can happen here.”
Shortly after Dunbar’s return, he also had to help the community through another loss, the drowning death of Dayton firefighter Colin Murphy during Lehigh River Days in 2016.
It was a rough return to Dayton.
“June 19th was the day he went missing,” Dunbar said. “June 20th was my first day back as Dayton police chief. My first two days were spent in Lehigh trying to find Colin.”
Dunbar is a strong advocate of community policing. He spends a lot of his time talking with residents, listening to their concerns and getting to know the people he’s serving. Being seen, heard and listening helps build trust and he likes residents to be able to approach him to talk.
Ultimately, while he may wear the chief’s badge, for Dunbar, it’s not about rank.
“The title isn’t important,” he said. “Being an officer is.”
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Information from: The Messenger, https://www.messengernews.net
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