DEPUTY LAESCH CONNECTING WITH COMMUNITY

By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent

Kelly Laesch has a heart for public service and she shows it every day in her job as the crime prevention coordinator for the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department. She meets regularly with area residents in both formal and informal settings such as last week’s “Coffee with a Cop” event at the Union Coffee House in Buchanan.
“Coffee with a Cop” is a national program where police officers get out in the community so people can talk to them,” Laesch said. “Today we had some teachers and bus drivers come in as well as students. Community members also came in. People feel more comfortable talking to us in this type of setting. It’s a very inviting environment.”
Laesch, a Buchanan native, has been a member of the sheriff’s department for nearly 17 years. She began her career working in the jail and then went out on road patrol for a number of years before working in narcotics for two years and then taking her current position six years ago.
“When I was on the road, I worked in all areas of the county and I did like it, I like patrolling and getting to know all the different parts of the county,” she said. “Working in narcotics also gave me a good tool. I know what they do and can refer people to them.”
She noted that she didn’t come from a law enforcement background with her mother an educator and teacher and her father a carpenter. She decided on pursuing a career in law enforcement when she was in college and looking at what careers matched her interests.
“I was in sports medicine in high school and then my mom asked me what I wanted to do in college,” she said. “We looked at what I was interested in, things like communication and public service, and saw that they both fit into a career in law enforcement.”
“I majored in sociology and criminal justice at Central Michigan and when I graduated I applied at DHS and the sheriff’s department,” she added. “I took a job with the sheriff’s department and I’ve loved it.”
One part of being a police officer that she didn’t necessarily think of was people expecting her to always know what’s going on in the community. “Once I became a cop, more people started asking me what’s going on,” she said. “That’s fine. I want to give people that connection. People can be scared if they don’t know what’s going on.”
While she’s not a teacher like her mother, education is still a big part of Laesch’s job. She makes presentations to community groups on a regular basis on a variety of crime prevention topics including identity theft, home security, women’s personal safety, Do Not Call lists and scams.
“My programs are a free resource for the community,” she said. “We have great services out there to help people. Right now, I’m about two months out for doing programs. I’m swamped.”
Her schedule isn’t necessarily one that is nine to five Monday through Friday. She makes evening and weekend presentations to churches, neighborhood watch groups and other local organizations. She also gives programs at senior citizen centers on a regular basis and makes sure she gets regular training so she has the most up to date information to share.
“We have a number of Neighborhood Watch groups in the county,” she said. “There is one in Buchanan as well as ones in Hagar Township, Eau Claire and a couple in the Benton Harbor area. We can help people if they want to start or revamp a group.”
“We help them organize and get signs to post in their neighborhoods,” she added. “A neighborhood watch is something anybody can start. We like the community’s help and having those extra eyes watching.”
In addition to going out in the community to meet with individuals and groups, she is a big believer in using today’s technology. She posts information regularly on social media and sends out press releases to get the word out about what’s going on.
“There are tons of resources out there, it’s a matter of connecting people with the resources they need,” she said.
Although she doesn’t have a lot of free time between her work for the sheriff’s department and having time for her family including her one year old son, Laesch does make time to serve on the Buchanan Board of Education and support her local community of Buchanan in any way she can.