Heugatter joins Breckenridge Police Department as its newest patrol officer
By Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan
On Wednesday morning, Chandon Heugatter was sworn in as the Breckenridge Police Department’s newest patrol officer during a ceremony in the City Commission chambers. Heugatter, a graduate of Bowie High School, attended the police academy at Weatherford College, where he graduated in December.
Heugatter said he wanted to be a police officer pretty much all his life but wasn’t 100 percent sure until he worked as a security officer for a private company. Then, he was sure he wanted to continue doing this type of work, so he attended the academy. What he likes most about being a police officer, he said, is being able to help people.
“It means a lot to me,” he said. “I always wanted to get into this profession. And when I first came into this town, I fell in love with it. And the department seems like a really great department, and I wish to continue my education and provide excellent community service to the citizens of Breckenridge.”
Heugatter, will go through 12 weeks of field training, riding along with veteran Breckenridge police officers.
Breckenridge Police Chief Bacel Cantrell said he’s happy to have Heugatter on the force and that he is a great fit for the department. “We’ve got him moved down here, and he’s fitting in with everybody pretty well. So I think he’ll be a good asset. Super nice guy,” Cantrell said during the ceremony.
Heugatter officially started as a patrol officer on Wednesday after he was sworn in, but he has been in town since Monday, going through orientation. “He’s been going over office stuff and that sort of thing. But this is his first official day on the street,” Cantrell said.
Since the first of the year, the department has added four newly licensed patrol officers, and the police chief said his staffing looks good now. “I’m just short one on patrol and one on animal control, so all together, we’re only two short,” he said. “We’re in a lot better shape.”
With the recent addition of the new officers to his staff of experienced officers, Cantrell said he feels like he has a good balanced department. “All the guys that have been there for a while are pretty much gonna be teamed up with a new officer,” he said. “And so, it kind of renews you a little bit when you got someone that’s fresh and ready to go. It’s kind of getting everybody motivated around the office.”
Cantrell also said he’s pleased with the progress the other new officers have made since they joined the force earlier this year. “They’re forming good habits as police officers,” he said. “They’re out in the community a lot and talking, and they’re doing everything they’re supposed to be doing as police officers, so it’s working out good.”
He said they’ve each had their own unique first experiences. Officer Bryce Bufkin, on his first day with Cantrell, was on a high-speed pursuit through town, and Officer Cheyenne Ramirez had a traffic stop that ended up netting 56 grams of methamphetamine on her first day on patrol with Cantrell. For officer Drew Boggs, his first week on his own was during the recent winter storm, Cantrell said.
“And so his first day on his own, he was driving around and escorting and all that during the winter storm. He was going to get batteries for people on oxygen and bringing them back (to the LEC) and charging them because we had electricity,” the police chief said. “You know, it’s very impressive to be cut loose and young and just take initiative and start doing things like that. So everyone’s done great. I’m kind of feeling really good about it.”
Chandon Heugatter is sworn is as the newest patrol officer by Breckenridge Municipal Judge Kim Baggett. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Cutline, top photo: Breckenridge Police Chief Bacel Cantrell pins a badge on newly sworn-in patrol officer Chandon Heugatter during a ceremony at the Breckenridge City Commission chamber. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
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