Leading the Force: A Conversation with Westport's New Chief

Since stepping into the role of Police Chief in Westport this past November, Chad Sample has had his hands full navigating the complexities of a small town with a growing need for leadership and community engagement. Amidst his busy days, Chief Sample took time to sit down for an interview, offering a glimpse into his vision for the department and the town. As he settles into his new role, be sure to say hello if you spot him around town—he’s ready to get to know the community he’s here to serve.

Have you had any memorable welcome to Westport moments?

You know, I've had a lot of people come in and welcome me. I may be walking through the post office or out and about town and people have stopped just to say hello, it’s good to see you here. Westport has been a very welcoming city for a police chief. From what I've seen, the community is very supportive of law enforcement. It’s a small town vibe and reminds me of home.

Can you share a little about yourself and how you ended up here in Westport?

I grew up in a small town in Illinois, about 1900 people. So I really like that lifestyle. When I first started my career in law enforcement, I was working in National City, a border town south of San Diego about 10 miles north of the Mexican border. It was a really busy department with gang, drug, and cartel activity. When a good friend of mine (that I went through the police academy with) invited me to his wedding in the Wenatchee area, I came up here and fell in love with the outdoorsy feel. I started applying for jobs. I was hired with the Evergreen Police Department and after a couple years I ended up in McCleary, and then I transferred over to Elma where I worked the past eight years. When this position came up, I came out to see what the department was like. I interviewed and tested and was offered the position. I started here November 1st.

What are some of the duties of the Westport Police Chief?

Well, first and foremost, safety is the biggest part of the job. Most of what I do around here revolves around keeping the community, our visitors and my officers safe. I’m assessing what can be improved or where we have problem areas. I want to make sure we're in compliance with laws, regulations and the the training standards for all the officers.

Aside from the main factor of safety, there are a lot of things that are involved in keeping your Police Department running. Some of the duties that come with this position are everyday administrative duties, such as review of the previous day/weeks calls and reports, scheduling shifts and training classes, and scheduling and attending meetings with community members/business owners. I attend monthly meetings with the Sheriff and other Chief’s in the county so I, as well as the other Chiefs, are aware of what the other Jurisdictions have going on. I also attend our city council meetings to provide staff reports and department updates to keep the council, mayor and citizens informed. As a working Chief, I also cover shifts and handle radio calls to assist the officers with coverage in the city.

One of the first things I did when I got here was to set up a meeting with the school superintendent. We are the first responders if God forbid something happened there. I've met with the principal at the high school, participated in one of their lockdown drills to kind of take some mental notes of what they do so I can put together a plan. I'm part of the active shooter cadre for the county so I want to get some training set up with our cadre and make sure that Ocosta is online with what we teach throughout the county.

Is part of your job doing community outreach and connecting with residents?

There is a large political part of the job, yes. I haven't been out as much as I wanted to. I've been trying to go through what I was handed when I took the job- it’s been a big task. I came in right toward the end of the year and we had a lot of work to do on the budget. But I check the mail for the department every day through the post office. That’s a large hub and I make a point to stop and say hello to people, introduce myself, and let them know that we always have an open door at the department. If anyone has questions or wants to talk to an officer, they can always stop by.

Do you have a favorite spot in town or are there any hobbies you are excited to take part in around Westport?

I’ve driven over to Half Moon Bay several times. I just love the view. It’s very serene and a very calming area. I’ve brought my kids out to the beach and they enjoy it. And I really like to fish and hunt so Westport is really working out for me. I’ve been fishing for as long as I can remember.

Are there unique challenges when it comes to policing a small town like Westport?

I like to call it the Mayberry effect because it gets to the point where everybody knows everybody and the thing that makes that hard is just regular enforcement of everyday things. When you stop people you know it's hard to be fair and I have no doubt in my mind that every one of my officers is a great solid police officer and I'm really happy to have them. That's one of the things that they ask you in the academy- if you pull your grandmother over, would you give her a ticket. In a small town you're going to deal with somebody you know and no matter what the relationship is, you have to be fair with them.

What have you brought from your past job experience that will be valuable here?

***National Night Out*** is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie.

One of the things that I bring is what a lot of police departments talk about- community policing, and that is a great wonderful thing. I bring the experience of doing it with a small town. I've held many positions through different agencies and one of my favorite things is National Night Out. It brings the community together. We get together with the fire department. There’s food and giveaways. It essentially makes us more approachable as officers. I want people to come to us. Whether it's your cat stuck in the tree or somebody broke into your home. I want them to feel comfortable coming to us and knowing that we're going to do whatever we can. In small towns like this, one of the strongest things that we have with our community is a relationship. My biggest goal in coming into this department is to make it one of the best departments in the county.

Is there anything you wish people knew when it comes to being a member of the police force?

If you approach us while were are on duty- whether we are in the car on the computer or out in the field, and we don’t respond pleasantly please allow compassion. We are the first responders on just about every scene. We see a lot of stuff people shouldn’t see. And often we pack it all up and move onto the next thing- without time to process. So there’s things behind the scenes that the general public doesn't know that we're dealing with or what we have going on in this job that sometimes makes us space out from the everyday pleasantries that people have when they greet one another.

Is there a law that you see commonly broken?

Yes. Littering. It’s a big pet peeve of mine.

Is there anything else you’d like the community to know?

Just that if you’re curious about me or the department, stop by and have a chat. We like getting to know you and we want our residents and visitors to feel safe. If your kids want to see the police car or meet us, we love that stuff. As long as we are not busy, we are open to the community.

The Westport Police Department is located at 740 N Montesano St. The non-emergency phone line is 360-268-9197. The Police Department is currently hiring.