Residents pack Cottonwood Shores' first Town Hall

By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula

More than 50 people packed the Cottonwood Shores library Wednesday evening, Jan. 7, for the police department’s first Town Hall meeting. It was the first time many residents had met Tom Williams, center, the city’s new police chief since November.

Williams said when one takes a job with a new agency, the biggest unknown is the quality of officers who will be under his command. “These are two of the best cops I’ve ever run into,” he said of officers John-Michael Talamantez (left) and Chris Bieze.

They discussed several issues with residents, including the need to have dogs fenced, noise complaints, vandalism, speeding, and officers' response times to emergency calls. Williams also asked for tips to help clear out drug dealers, and added that several have already been “run out of town.”