TORRINGTON – “People-sized solutions for people sized-problems.”
That’s new Torrington Police Chief Matt Johnson’s policing philosophy. Johnson started as the town’s top law enforcement officer on Monday. Amidst the turmoil and controversy surrounding his profession on a national scale, he said he plans to build on the department’s established community policing practices to maintain – and strengthen – the bond between the community and their police officers.
“If we view ourselves as warriors out there fighting a war against crime, we’re going to have a very negative perspective,” Johnson said. “We’re going to be constantly frustrated because it’s not a war we’re going to win. We’re never going to eradicate crime in a community. We’re never going to feel good about the contributions we’ve made because we’ll go home at the end of the day never having gotten ahead.
“We’re helping solve problems. We’re helping build bridges. We’re collaborating with other people – and all of a sudden, your job seems more positive and we get some more done.
“You can’t solve the problems in society with only the application of law enforcement. There has got to be partnership in that. There has got to be engagement from everybody in that.”
That’s what Johnson specialized in during his time with the Fort Collins, Colo., Police Department, where he served as a sergeant. He was a member of a special unit that worked in the city’s downtown district with a focus on community policing.
“We were heavily focused on our downtown district, so that was all relationship-based policing and community policing, and how to tackle tough issues intentionally and make a difference,” he said
“I sought that out for a number of reasons. I love that type of work. That is my favorite type of police work. And No. 2, that would provide some development for me, because this is where I wanted to be long-term.”
An intentional move
Johnson has had a long, varied career in law enforcement. He’s been a school resource officer, worked as a Special Agent criminal investigator in the Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, served on the Fort Collins SWAT team for four years and teaches online courses through Regis University. He’s earned two Medals of Valor in Fort Collins, as well.
But as he watched Fort Collins grow up around him, he began to consider looking for work in a small town.
“I really like this community,” he said. “I guess I’m a little biased because I liked it before I got here. The quality of the people here is fantastic and the people are easy to connect with, kind and fun. The first night we moved into our house our neighbor brought us dinner.
“That was a big part of why I was looking to make a transition from a big town to a smaller town. I was kind of a small-town guy in a big town circumstance and that wasn’t a good fit for me. This has really been everything I’ve hoped for as far as making that transition. I’ve got a lot to learn still. There are a lot of people to meet and a lot of things to figure out. It has been a great transition and our family is tickled with it.”
He didn’t find Torrington by chance, either. Johnson said he has a family connection to Torrington and Goshen County, and visited the area as a kid.
“I’ve known for quite a long time that we were going to make a transition from a real populous area to something a lot smaller,” he said. “My wife and I have been looking at different towns and we knew this was an area we were interested in. I’ve got some family connections here and I have some fun memories of coming up here as a kid.”
Johnson said he and his family made several trips to the area when becoming the next TPD chief looked like a possibility.
“I try to be pretty intentional about what I do and how I do it,” he said. “I feel pretty good coming in.”
Leading by example
Earlier in his career, Johnson said, he saw a cartoon of an older police officer, ready to retire, walking out of the police station for the last time. On his way out of the door, he handed a fragile glass box labeled ‘public trust’ to a new recruit, and told him not to screw it up.
That notion stuck with Johnson.
“What are the big things I need to be responsible for?” Johnson said. “What are the things I really have to focus on? I think No. 1 is public trust.”
Johnseon said fostering that trust will be his top priority as chief.
“That’s the gold standard for a police department, and that’s created by integrity. Without that, we’re not worthy of public trust,” he said. “Accountability is how we maintain that integrity, and finally relationships – without relationships, we won’t have the first two.”
When Johnson was hired, Torrington Mayor Randy Adams said Johnson will take the reins of the department with more accolades than any other in the department’s history, and highlighted his commitment to the community.
“Matt Johnson came to us out of the blue with incredible qualifications, great experience, education that we have never seen before in an application to be the chief in all of the years I’ve been involved with the city of Torrington,” Adams said.
“He brings to us a wealth of experience and training, and a strong commitment to the community of Torrington.”
In order to do his duty to the best of abilities, Johnson said he intends to lead by example.
“If I’m asking police officers to live with integrity, that had better be the first thing I’m doing,” he said. “If I ask my police officers to treat people with respect and kindness during difficult circumstances, I should be treating them with respect and kindness and treating the people in our community with respect and kindness. That goes for everything.”
