Chief Hahn hopes to recast image of police
“I’m obviously really excited to be selected,” Lynn Hahn said after being named Chief of Police.
“I look forward to providing the citizens of Pea Ridge a really high quality of police department. I think we have a great, great crew and need good direction.”
Hahn, 56, who was a detective sergeant, was named by Mayor Jackie Crabtree after a 45-minute executive session with City Council members. Council member Ray Easley abstained. When asked why, he said, “No comment.”
“We had some really good candidates,” Crabtree said. “It was a difficult decision because they were all very, very qualified.”
Hahn said he had no plans for immediate changes and has an open door policy. “I’ll be right in the middle of this. I don’t micromanage,” he said. “I do my best management by walking around; I’m not a behind the desk kind of guy.”
“I believe the biggest challenge facing our department is recasting our public image,” Hahn said. “We must change our culture with a new definition of normal.
“There is no debate about the importance culture plays in creating effective police departments with strong connections with their community. Under the right leadership, the culture can be positively influenced.
“I believe one of the most important things a leader can do is to create and manage culture and the culture starts with the leader and who the leader is and what the leader stands for. I will work hard to create a culture of integrity and courage, through discussion, through debate through communication and through education,” he said.
Two of the three candidates were present — Hahn and retired state trooper Kevin Trevathan. John Hicks was out of the country on vacation.
Two state troopers, George Enke and Marty Pollock, were present as were several members of the Pea Ridge Police Department including Capt. Chris Olson, interim chief, and Michael Lisenbee, public information officer.
Hahn, a native of Tulsa, began his law enforcement career with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office in 2003, served as patrol commander of the part-time division and became full-time in 2007. He was promoted to patrol captain in 2014. In 2016, he was named jail captain. From June to October 2017, he was patrol sergeant for Carroll County Sheriff’s Office. He has been employed with Pea Ridge since October 2017. He is a detective sergeant in Pea Ridge.
“I have more than 30 years of successful management and leadership experience and I have been in law enforcement for 15 years,” Hahn said. “Prior to law enforcement, I was vice president of operations for a 22-store chain with over 100 employees spread across four states. I have also
successfully operated my own business and do some real estate investing.”
He said, “As patrol captain for one of the largest sheriff’s offices in the state, I supervised the daily operations of approximately 50 deputies who protected 884 square miles of Benton County. During my tenure as patrol captain, I had the occasion to be incident commander on many multijurisdictional incidents from missing persons and drownings to barricaded subjects and dangerous fugitive hunts. I was also the team leader of our crisis negotiation team.
“As the jail captain for the Benton County Sheriff’s office, I led roughly 100 deputies and civilian employees and I was responsible for the well being of 500 to 600 inmates,” Hahn said.
Hahn said, “During my tenure in law enforcement leadership, I have had a part in virtually every conceivable administrative function, from hiring, firing, discipline, training and motivating officers to dealing with multi-milliondollar budgets and working directly with governing bodies such as the quorum court.
“Besides my leadership experience, I have the street experience to be able to relate to what police officers are going through on a daily basis. Working the streets as a deputy sheriff and a police officer I have made almost 9,000 traffic stops, arrested over 2,100 offenders and answered literally thousands of calls for service where I have investigated just about every imaginable crime. I have also experienced what it is like to be in a violent struggle for my life and have dealt with grieve stricken families. I believe being able to share my vast experiences with other officers will be very beneficial.
“I have spent 15 years establishing positive relationships in Benton County. Great relationships with other law enforcement agencies, great relationships with judges, with prosecutors, with media and other community leaders,” he said.
Commending his fellow police officers, Hahn said: “The officers of the Pea Ridge Police Department are dedicated, well-trained professionals who serve this community day and night without reservation, often placing themselves in harm’s way to protect our citizens. They simply need a leader to guide them and to provide the tools they need for success.”