Collierville Chamber of Commerce Hosts Sold-Out Event at Monthly Membership Meeting
Chief of Police Dale Lane offers insight into Collierville Police Department
The Collierville Chamber of Commerce’s April Monthly Membership Meeting broke attendance records at a sold-out event featuring Collierville Chief of Police Dale Lane. Collierville First Baptist Church hosted the event on Wednesday, April 13.
Prior to Lane’s presentation, Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Heuberger recognized several dignitaries in attendance, including current town, county and state officials as well as several attendees who are vying for local office in upcoming elections. Additionally, Heuberger welcomed a host of new Chamber members.
Hallie Ross, Assistant Principal of Collierville High School and Sara Honeycutt of Patriot Bank were on hand to announce the high school student of the month, Alexander Descheneaux, a multi-talented scholar-athlete (and musician) who will attend college on a Naval ROTC scholarship with plans to enter the U.S. Marine Corps after graduation.
Chamber Board member Chad Lindsay of Alston Construction, the sponsor of the luncheon, gave a brief overview of the company, the nation’s 56th largest general contractor with an annual revenue of $2.1b. last year. Lindsay also encouraged attendees to support the annual Collierville Balloon Festival to be held September 16-18.
James Lewellen, Town of Collierville Administrator, offered a light-hearted and good-natured introduction to Chief Lane.
Lane’s presentation provided an insightful and clearly outlined look at the current state of the Collierville Police Department.
Having taken the helm of the department only two years ago, the Chief recalled 2021 as a tough year with a series of challenges and tragedies: local protests over the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis; injuries to officers; a line of duty death within the department, and the tragic mass shooting and death at the Collierville Kroger in September all combined for daunting challenges. Chief Lane noted the community’s resilience and ability to pull together during such a crisis.
A video, designed to assist the Collierville Police Department in its effort to recruit new officers in a highly competitive market, highlighted the connectedness of the police department and the community. Lane then noted specific strategies his department uses to enhance community policing: building partnerships; using data-driven decision-making; the introduction of new technologies and demanding the very best officer training.
Within the area of new technologies, the Chief mentioned the appropriation and use of 20+ license plate readers throughout the town, allowing dispatchers to gain valuable information and relay it to appropriate personnel in a more timely fashion. He also highlighted the development of enhanced communication through social media platforms, the new motorcycle unit, the use of drone aerial technology and the addition of a third K-9 team.
Underscoring the vigilance required to keep the town as safe as possible, Lane displayed statistics reflecting Collierville’s significantly lower incidence of crime per capita, including both violent crime and crimes of property.
The lunch was sponsored by Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill
