FREWSBURG - Law enforcement is something with which Timothy Wright has plenty of experience.
As a member of the Jamestown Police Department, Wright spent 13 years as a patrol officer and another 13 years as a detective. Add to that his 26 years as a member of the Army Reserves and graduation from the Command and General Staff College and it makes for an impressive resume. Now, Wright can put police chief on that list, too.
On July 1, Wright took over for Daryl Dutchess as the town of Carroll's police chief.
Article Photos
Timothy Wright, Carroll police chief, looks through a file at his desk. Wright took over as the town’s police chief on July 1 and also works as a Jamestown Police Dept. detective.
P-J photo by Ryan Atkins
"The work environment here is really good, and I believe that I took this position for the right reasons," said Wright. "I look forward to working here. It's close to home and it keeps me in law enforcement."
Wright, who grew up in a rural area, said that it's much different than being in a city environment such as Jamestown.
"You deal with good and bad people no matter where you're at," he said. "A more rural area has a completely different feel than someplace like Jamestown, though. Listening to the scanner when I'm here, Jamestown officers might be going out to one call after another, but in a five-hour shift, we might not see a single call."
Wright, who is still working full-time at the Jamestown Police Department as a detective as well as working part-time as the chief in Carroll and serving with the Army Reserves, said that one of the biggest challenges so far has been modernizing the police department.
"The first day that I came here for work, there were still typewriters on the desks," said Wright. "When I asked what they were for, they told me that they used them to type up their reports and accusatory statements. I told them, "Not anymore you don't." I want to do everything that any other police station can do, just on a smaller scale."
The Town of Carroll Police Department is small, made up of only a few part-time officers. The New York State Police as well as the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office both help patrol the town. Wright said they have a very good working relationship with the other area law enforcement agencies and that everyone is willing to help however they can.
"My main concern is that I'm doing right by people and doing the right things for the department," said Wright. "The bottom line is that I want my officers trained well and if I can keep them on the right path, then I consider my job a success." He continued, "I'm happy to be here. My family and I have sacrificed a lot for my career in law enforcement, but the experience has absolutely been worth it. It's taught me a lot about the value of life, what's important to me, and who I want to be."