OCTOBER 8, 2009 ISSUE
Avery County Native Chosen as Boone’s New Police Chief
Dana Bruce Crawford—A Man of Destiny
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Dana Bruce Crawford, a native of Avery County and 20-year law enforcement veteran, will take over the position of chief of the Boone Police Department on Monday, October 12. Crawford’s 20 years of law enforcement experience includes positions as captain and assistant chief of police for the Beech Mountain Police Department, investigator for Sugar Mountain and deputy sheriff of Avery County.
Chosen from an initial field of 124 applicants by a professional assessment firm, Dana Crawford, a native of Avery County and 20-year law enforcement veteran, takes the helm of the Boone Police Department next week.
On Monday, October 12, Boone Mayor Loretta Clawson will administer the oath of office to the new chief. The ceremony will take place at 11:00 a.m. in the Boone Town Council Chambers, located at 1500 Blowing Rock Road.
Crawford’s 20 years of law enforcement experience includes positions as captain and assistant chief of police for the Beech Mountain Police Department, investigator for Sugar Mountain and deputy sheriff of Avery County.
The new chief holds a bachelor of applied arts and sciences degree in criminal justice, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Lees-McCrae College in Banner Elk. A member of many professional associations, Crawford is also a North Carolina certified expert criminal investigator, an educational qualification he desires all his new staff investigators to acquire. According to Crawford, no present Boone Police investigators are state certified.
“I am very pleased with our new chief of police. I know he will serve well in the position,” said Clawson, who had no official capacity in the selection process that was headed up by Boone Town Manager Greg Young.
“A very personable individual and a great fit for Boone. Mr. Crawford will provide excellent leadership for the police department,” Young said. “I look forward to working with him.”
Sources from area municipal departments praised Crawford’s appointment saying that he is known for his sense of fair play.
In a lengthy interview with the new chief, the amiable quality that Young alludes to in his above statement came though. The energetic, physically-fit, 42-year-old farmer—Crawford in partnership with his father raises Christmas trees—has a twinkle in his eyes relaying a sense of humor and he possesses a sense of wellbeing. Most should agree these are good character traits for a chief of police to have.
Crawford’s a family man. His wife Melinda is a nursing student; his son attends Avery High School and his 11-year-old daughter is in the sixth grade at Cranberry Middle School. He, his father and mother were working at the old Cannon hospital when he met his wife. After attaining his associate’s degree in criminal justice and getting married, he went to work. Wanting to fully matriculate, attaining his bachelor’s was a goal that took an additional 20 years. As if destiny rules, nine days after completing his degree, the chief’s position opened up in Boone.
Crawford believes in “a servant leadership, not a self-serving leadership. Police should be the protectors of the citizens not the oppressors,” he said.
A litany of problems that police encounter including the fluid landscape of gangs and drug related criminality was discussed during the interview. “Experts are warning us that gangs can be headed our way,” Crawford said, “I want our department to be proactive, stop this in the bud from developing in our community.”
Additionally, he echoed a major growing concern that mental health providers in the local community have previously shared. The illegal use of prescription drugs is the number one drug problem now. Cocaine and methamphetamine have taken a backseat to prescription drug diversion. According to Crawford, the problem is analogous to the auto-parts theft market. Drugs are acquired by a network of criminals moving around and then redistributed for sale on the streets.
Another concern of Crawford’s is the breaking of generational crime. “I’ve seen the whole family in court: the son, the father and the grandfather, people who have not learned personal responsibility.”
With the recent retirement of several career officers on the Boone Police force, Crawford has no illusions of the daunting task at hand, saying that they lost more than 200 years of experience this past year and will have to fill this knowledge gap responsibly and quickly.
He smiled when asked if he would keep his predecessor, Bill Post’s ‘black and whites.’
Crawford is enamored by American history. He joyfully told the story of his ancestor from Carroll County, Va., who belonging to the minority party in the small town would fight his way to the polls to vote. Historically, his family’s roots grow deep. Melinda is even a descendant of Squire Boone.
History is a great teacher and Crawford is a teacher as well, presently teaching criminal justice in area community colleges. He’s also a successful grant writer.
In agreement with Boone officials, Crawford will not uproot his family and relocate to Boone. He will commute the short distance from his Avery County home to his new work in town.
He said that he eats donuts, too—seriously.
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