Wheatland Police Chief reflects on career
‘We’ve done some great things in eight years here but it’s time to get somebody fresh and energized’
After about 39 years in law enforcement and serving eight years as chief of the Wheatland Police Department, Allyn Wightman announced plans to retire in January.
At the age of 20, he was hired with the Kings County Sheriff’s Department. He went on to work for the Visalia Police Department – some of the positions he had included canine officer, SWAT member, juvenile detective, violent crimes detective, sergeant and eventually he was accepted as a lieutenant area commander.
“I worked up through the ranks, retiring as an area commander,” Wightman said. “... I retired in July 2011 and this job kind of fell in my lap ... so I lasted four months in retirement.”
“I’m not one to be able to sit behind a desk, I can now that I’m older, but back then, I was 20 when I was hired and I started in a jail,” Wightman said. “(In) this profession, not to quote Forrest Gump, but you never know what you’re going to get.”
He said, over the years, he has seen some bizarre cases, saved a couple of lives using CPR and caught a lot of “bad guys” when he worked with a canine – but one of the main highlights, he said, would be watching other officers grow in their careers.
“Mentoring young offi
cers, being their advocate and watching them promote through the ranks,” Wightman said. “... Starting out as rookie officers and seeing where they are now from where they were is really gratifying.”
He said the Wheatland department is kind of like a training department – where young officers get their start and eventually move on to a larger agency.
“There’s not a lot that goes on here and young officers come here and get a realistic approach of this job,” Wightman said. “It’s not fast paced so they can learn the ins and outs and then they eventually move on to a larger agency.”
However, some officers stick around, he said, and he’s happy about that.
“They’re engrained and they’re invested in the community,” he said.
Chris Ellis, Wheatland police officer, has worked with Wightman for the last seven years and Wheatland is where his law enforcement career began.
“When I got out of the academy, there was almost a hiring freeze and a lot of law enforcement were being laid off all over the state and country,” Ellis said. “The chief gave me my one option and an opportunity to be here, so if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today.”
FELONY ARRESTS
Tammi L. Jackson, 21, of Minnesota was arrested by the Sutter County Sheriff’s Office at 2:28 p.m. Aug. 13 in Yuba City on suspicion of obstructing or resisting an executive officer. She was booked into Sutter County Jail.
Alexis Algarin, 18, of the 6300 block of Wallen Drive, Marysville, was arrested by the
TODAY EVENTS
Thursday Farmers Market, 5 p.m.8:30 p.m., Teegarden Avenue (between Plumas and Shasta streets), Yuba City. Farm fresh produce and arts and crafts vendors. For more information, visit www. yubacitydowntown.com, call 755-1620 or email info@yubacitydowntown.com.
5th annual PAWS for a Cause dinner, starts at 5 p.m. at the Plaza Room Hillcrest Plaza, 210 Julie Drive, Yuba City. For more information, call 513-1934.
Stand as 1 Open Mic! starts at 6:30 p.m. at Justin’s Kitchen, 628 Plumas Street, Yuba City. An event for spoken word, Yuba County Sheriff’s Office at 12 p.m. Aug. 13 in the 3700 block of Feather River Boulevard on suspicion of attempted murder and shooting at an inhabited dwelling or vehicle. He was booked into Yuba County Jail.
Sterling H. Hill, 60, of the 100 block of F Street, Marysville, was arrested by the Marysville Police Department at 9:42 a.m. Aug. 12 in the 300 block of D Street on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon other than a poetry readings and other recitations. For more information, call 742-2787, email email@yubasutterarts.org or visit www. yubasutterarts.org.
CLUB MEETINGS
Widowed Persons Association of California Mall Walk starts at 8:30 a.m. firearm and failing to register as a sex offender. He was booked into Yuba County Jail.
DUI ARRESTS
Ryan E. Russell, 22, of the 100 block of Hembree Road, Yuba City, was arrested by the California Highway Patrol at 1:54 p.m. Aug. 13 at the intersection of Moon Avenue and Sun Avenue. He was booked into Yuba County Jail. at Yuba Sutter Mall, 1215 Colusa Ave., Yuba City. Social hour starts at 9 a.m. at Mcdonald’s, 866 Colusa Ave., Yuba City.
Kiwanis Club of Marysville will meet at noon at Peach Tree Restaurant, 1080 N Beale Road, Marysville. For more information, visit www.marysvillekiwanis.org
Kiwanis Club of Yuba City will meet at Noon at Ting’s Refuge Restaurant, 1501 Butte House Road, Yuba City.
GOVERNMENT MEETING
PERS Workshop, Unfunded Liability public discussion will be hosted from 6-7 p.m. at City Hall Council Chambers, 1201 Civic Center Blvd., Yuba City. For more information, email tlocke@yubacity.net.