Hollister named new MPD officer

by Beth Kraft

The Mondovi Police Department welcomed a familiar face to its ranks last week, moving longtime reserve officer Tim Hollister to a full-time patrolman.

Hollister’s first day on duty in the city was Wednesday, May 27. He joins the MPD full-time having spent the past 10 years with the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Department and as a reserve officer in the city since 2003.

A life-long Mondovi native and 2003 graduate of Mondovi High School, Hollister began his law enforcement career as a jailer/dispatcher at the sheriff’s department in 2005 before moving to work as a deputy in 2008.

Feeling he was ready to take on more responsibilities led Hollister to apply for the full-time job with the MPD.

“I felt there was more room for advancement,” Hollister explained. “I’m from the area and I wanted to get back here.”

Hollister first became interested in a career in law enforcement after a family medical emergency in 1999. He says the deputy that responded to the incident was “exceptional” in her efforts to help.

“Just the way she handled that call was phenomenal,” Hollister remembered.

Hollister brings a wealth of experience in officer training and technology know-how with him, and he’s looking forward to putting his skills to work for the MPD.

Advancing officer training opportunities is high on his priority list, having served Buffalo County in a similar capacity as field training officer where he trained several new dispatchers/jailers and deputies.

Hollister also wants to implement two new computer programs, TRACS and MACH, to help officers do their work and communicate more effectively.

TRACS will allow officers to document citations, warnings and crash reports much more efficiently as opposed to filling out paper forms, Hollister explained, while MACH allows officers to talk to dispatch and other officers via the computer. The program also offers GPS tracking to allow dispatch to locate officers while they are on patrol without having to use the radio.

Hollister is also interested in becoming more involved in the Mondovi Schools in hopes of fostering positive relations between area youth and local law enforcement.

“I think that’s crucial,” Hollister said of building trust. “I want to show them that we’re not just here to write tickets and take people to jail. Our job is so much more than that.”

Continuing the bike safety program, an annual effort by the MPD that encourages kids to wear bike helmets, will be another point of emphasis for Hollister. Officers in the past have rewarded any helmet-wearers they see while on patrol with coupons for free ice cream.

Hollister received his associate’s degree in criminal justice from Chippewa Valley Technical College in 2005. He is certified in advanced crash investigation as well as Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE), which helps officers identify drivers under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol during traffic stops.

He joins a MPD force that currently includes police chief Scott Smith and officer Bonnie Bertrang.

The department is also in the process of hiring a sergeant.