New Lapel police chief hopes to bring teamwork, stability to the department

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LAPEL — Lapel has a new police chief — for the third time in about two years — and both he and town leaders said they hope this is the start of a long, positive chapter in the town’s law enforcement history.

The town council hired Kelly Naselroad, 49, as chief of police in late March. His first day on the job was Monday, April 16.

He comes to the position after nearly 10 years on the Edgewood Police Department and a 20-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps, during which he worked with artillery and logistics.

Town council members said they hope his hiring will bring stability to the police department and indicates the start of a positive working relationship between the department and town leaders.

Naselroad, a 1987 Lapel High School graduate, replaces Ryan Daniels, who resigned unexpectedly earlier this year; Daniels’ last day was Feb. 15. Daniels was hired as chief in July 2017 to replace former chief Michael Barnes; Barnes stepped down only a year after replacing longtime chief Dennis Molina.

One of the first things Naselroad hopes to accomplish on the job is establishing a mentality of working together.

“One of my major goals is getting the town’s council and the police department to think like they are a team,” Naselroad said.

He wants to bring everyone together on major and even minor issues so town officials don’t feel alienated from the police department.

Town officials hope Naselroad can bring some longevity to the position and open the lines of communication between the council and the police department.

Council president Deb Wainscott was impressed with Naselroad from the start, she said.

She liked the way he handled himself during the interview process and came across as open and organized with the know-how to establish teamwork.

“The last chiefs that we had didn’t fulfill the criteria that we were looking for,” Wainscott said. “We’re hoping this guy will bring a new incentive to the department and a lot more unity.”

Respecting town council goals as a priority is important for a police chief, town officials said.

“We haven’t had that in a while,” Wainscott said. “We haven’t really had that since chief (Dennis) Molina retired.”

The past two police chiefs were promoted from within the department, but this time the council voted 3-2 to hire someone from outside the department, with the hope it would bring in a new perspective.

Molina, who retired from the police department and was subsequently elected town clerk-treasurer, said being the head of a small- town police department is a unique challenge.

“Community policing is wholeheartedly a job where you have to be involved with what is going on,” Molina said.

Stopping in at town hall, touching base with town leaders and employees, and visiting local schools and businesses — these are all things a police chief and his officers must do to be engaged and establish a feeling of safety, Molina said.

Molina was the police chief in Lapel for 26 years and said Naselroad seems like the right person for the job.

Although he admits it takes time for a police chief and his department to develop strong relationships, it’s a two-way street; all parties involved must want a solid working relationship for things to work, he said.

“You’ve got to get in there and help people and meet people,” Molina said.

With a fast growth rate in town through annexation and new construction in the area, Naselroad knows he will be faced with some tough challenges, he said.

“It’s going to be a unique opportunity to work with the town people, the council and members of the police department so we can get the department to the standard I think it should be,” Naselroad said.

He’ll be in charge of four full-time officers and currently two reserve police officers.

Naselroad, who has three family members in law enforcement in Madison County — one at the sheriff’s department, and officers at departments in Elwood and Anderson — said he feels his background and leadership ability, coupled with already having a good working relationship with Lapel police officers, will make for a smooth transition.