Ledger-Dispatch

By Jenifer Gee (jgee@ledger-dispatch.com)=20

New Ione Police Chief Michael Lewis = Johnson wants=20 to change the community's perception of the department.

Photo by: Jenifer Gee

New Ione Police Chief Michael Johnson = is hoping=20 outgoing interim Chief Bob Olson will stay on in a reserve = capacity.

Photo by: Jenifer=20 Gee
New Ione Police Chief Michael Lewis = Johnson=20 still has a garage full of unpacked moving boxes, but he has already hit = the=20 streets to introduce himself to the community.

"I plan to be not = just a=20 chief that's the head of a department. I'll be out there working too," = said=20 Johnson, who is the permanent replacement for former Ione Police Chief = Lou=20 Pietronave. Pietronave resigned in December 2006 and Interim Police = Chief Bob=20 Olson stepped in while the city searched for a new chief. Highly = recommended by=20 Ione City Manager Kim Kerr, who knew Johnson from when both worked in = Humboldt=20 County, Johnson beat out a nationwide pool of 23 applicants.

Six = of those=20 applicants had actual interviews in November and Johnson was selected in = December.

One of his biggest goals for a department that has a = history=20 and issues in the county is to reenforce professionalism. He said = officers will=20 constantly be out on the streets during the day and especially at=20 night.

He sees a challenge in working in a community that = includes=20 families that have lived in the county for several generations who are = now=20 living with new residents. "I think we can figure out a way so we all = can=20 coexist in the community," Johnson said.

Johnson is also taking = note of=20 the wishes of Ione Police Department staff, which includes three sworn = officers=20 and a small support staff He said he has initially heard that officers = would=20 like more training to sharpen their skills, and Johnson plans to fulfill = that=20 need.

"With all of these things together, I hope the community = sees that=20 we're changing the face of who we are," he said.

Ione Police = Department=20 Acting Sergeant Jeff Arnold said it's still a little too early to tell = how=20 things will change, but acknowledges that a fresh perspective will help = the=20 department.

"If you look at the past public perception (of the=20 department), it probably wasn't the greatest," Arnold said. "I think = that now=20 that we have a full-time chief that's definitely going to improve the=20 relationship between the community and the department."

He = believes that=20 hiring Johnson is the first step in the rebuilding process for the = department.=20 He added that while in the next few weeks the officers and their new = chief will=20 be figuring each other out in the "getting to know you phase," Arnold = and the=20 current staff have faith in Kerr's recommendation of Johnson.

"We = trust=20 her (Kerr's) judgment to bring someone who's capable and willing to make = things=20 better for the department and the community at large," Arnold = said.

Prior=20 to accepting the position as Ione police's new department head, Johnson = served=20 12 years total at the Eureka Police Department in Humboldt County,=20 six-and-a-half of which were spent as a sergeant on patrol, a member of = the SWAT=20 team and coordinator of the K9 unit.

Johnson's experience with a = K9 unit=20 will also benefit the city. As part of his move, he is adding Hawk, a = certified=20 narcotic detection dog, to Ione's police force. The black Labrador = Retriever=20 normally costs about $14,000, but the Eureka Police Department = discounted the=20 price to $6,200 for the city of Ione.

Next week the department = will hold=20 a retirement celebration for Olson, who has been an asset to Johnson as = he has=20 made the transition to his new position.

"I am begging him to = stay on as=20 a reserve (officer)," Johnson said, who added that he was fairly certain = Olson=20 would accept a reserve officer position.

Now, as Johnson, his = wife, their=20 two sons and his mother slowly settle into the Ione home they moved into = three=20 days before Christmas, he is looking forward to living in a community = that has=20 openly welcomed and accepted him, and better suits his needs and the = needs of=20 his family.

"Ione and Amador County in general," Johnson said, = "has a=20 much safer and better lifestyle that is more conducive to my family's=20 philosophy."

Jenifer = Gee