In recent years the Toledo Police Department has succeeded in recruiting and retaining officers with ties to the Tama-Toledo community.

History repeated itself earlier this year when the City of Toledo hired Colin Price as it’s next full-time police officer following the departure of Officer Shawncey Day who left to take a job with another agency out of state.

Price was a classmate and fellow National Guardsman with Toledo Officer Cole Savage who was hired by the department in 2020.

Also, along with the younger generation of South Tama alums are Toledo Chief Nathan Shepard and Sergeant Dan Quigley who also returned to work in their hometown community after graduating from STC.

“It’s something I’m proud of, giving back to a community that’s done so much for me,” Quigley said. “It’s fulfilling work to know some of the people and families that we serve.”

Over his 10 years with the department Quigley said he’s learned there are benefits and challenges that come with policing in your hometown.

“If you’re working with somebody that knows you, sometimes it’s easier for them to find you trustworthy,” Quigley said. “Sometimes people try to take advantage of those prior relationships but on the whole, I would say the benefits outweigh the negative aspects.

Over the next few weeks Price, who just returned to Toledo after completing the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, will be shadowing Quigley in order to complete his field training.

Q&A with Toledo Police Officer Colin Price

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What is your past education and career experience?

I graduated from South Tama County High School in 2019. I have been a member of the Iowa Army National Guard since October of 2018.

What inspired you to consider a career in law enforcement?

What inspired me to consider a career in law enforcement was my gratitude for law enforcement and my desire to protect and serve other people.

Having gone through training for the National Guard, how did the Law Enforcement Academy experience compare?

Basic training and advanced individual training for the Army National Guard was 16 weeks in length for me. I attended Army basic training in January 2019 through May of 2019. The two experiences were similar in enforcing discipline and being an ethical person. The academy however contained more of a classroom learning style.

What surprised you most about your training at the Academy?

What surprised me the most about my time at the Academy was the various amounts of training that instructors have received. All of our instructors had experience and a unique point of view to share with us.

What was the most enjoyable aspect of your time at the Academy and what was the most challenging?

The firearms program at the Academy is what I found to be the most enjoyable. The OC spray exposure at the Academy was the most challenging aspect for me.

What goals do you have in the short-term and/or long-term for your law enforcement career?

A short-term goal I have set for myself is to receive a good evaluation everyday for the next 12 weeks while I undergo field training. A long-term goal I have set for myself is that I want to become a firearms instructor.

Are there any specialty fields within law enforcement you’re interested in pursuing or learning more about?

A specialty field that I am interested in learning more about is becoming a detective.

With many departments in the state looking to hire officers, what was it about the Toledo PD that convinced you to pursue the opportunity there?

The Toledo Police Department has given me the opportunity to protect and serve people in my hometown community. I also really was drawn to the strict standards and ethical values that the Toledo Police Department contains. The Toledo Police Department keeps accountability and holds a very high level of professionalism with the public and it’s officers.

What are you most looking forward to in the next few months or the upcoming year as your work begins as a Toledo Police Officer?

I am most looking forward to meeting new people in the community and taking what I learned in the Academy and applying it to tasks that I will be assigned to do.