Servant Leadership Exemplified

Looking back at 2024, reflecting on the condition and accomplishments of the Bellevue Police Department, I can unequivocally state that I could not be happier with where we stand. The department is fully staffed and has been since early 2022. Our crime numbers are down dramatically – as evidenced in earlier articles written for this site. Most importantly, morale is high, which equates to positive citizen interactions. The team we have built truly cares for each other and the citizens we serve.

Servant Leadership is a core tenant that is practiced throughout the department. This is true no matter what the call for service, and during the dozens of community programs we lead annually. Among the most important is the Annual Chili Cook Off and Silent Auction. This event raises money to fund our annual Holiday Heroes shopping event – which supports over one-hundred Bellevue youth to purchase Christmas presents and needed essential items.

As many of you know, Officer Chris Abbott was the backbone of these events over the last decade, and we unfortunately lost him in the fall of 2023. Due to his commitment to service, the chili cook off was renamed the Officer Chris Abbott Memorial Chili Cook Off and Silent Auction. This event raised enough money to facilitate supporting 120 kids in 2024.

Chris’ commitment to servant leadership also gained national attention in 2024. Gamechanger – a national company that “builds simple and powerful products for youth sports teams and their communities,” chose Chris for their ‘Gamechanger of the Year Award’ for his efforts in his community (Glenwood, IA) and at work. This posthumous award highlights an amazing life of servant leadership that we can all learn from. You can view the six minute and thirty-nine second video at: https://gc.com/lp/gamechanger-of-the-year.

Chris left a legacy and is an excellent example for all of us.

-Chief Ken Clary