The Springfield Police Department’s Police Area Representative (PAR) Officers are available to help solve long-term neighborhood problems and provide referrals to community organizations that can assist neighborhoods in the City of Springfield. Each officer’s area can be viewed on the map below. As always, in the event of an emergency, call 911.
Northwest: Tom Watkins, Heart of the Westside, Fairfield Acres/Bissett, Westside, Young Lilly
Officer Zach Pugh
When did you join the SPD?
2013.
Did you always want to be a police officer? What made you decide on this career?
I did not always want to become an officer. I had other career paths in mind once I started college. I did start to gravitate toward a career in law enforcement once I was in college. I chose this as a career because you see something new every day. It is not just sitting in an office every day for eight hours. Also, helping people is an aspect of the job that caused me to choose this career path.
What motivated you to become a PAR officer?
I was motivated to become a PAR officer because of the community interaction. In Springfield, we have great support from the community. Being a PAR officer, we get to interact with the citizens and help them out with their respected issues. What motivated me the most was that I could help with keeping the good relationship with our citizens intact.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of work?
I have many hobbies outside of work. The biggest one is that I’m an avid sports fan. I spend a majority of my off time either watching sports or catching up on scores from the previous night.
Describe your family.
I am from the St. Louis area, so the majority of my side of the family still lives in that area. My wife, Ashley, is from the Springfield area, and the majority of her family lives in the southwest Missouri area.
Northeast: Doling, Woodland Heights, Robberson, Weller, Parkwood, Cooper Park
Officer Evan Nicholson
enicholson@springfieldmo.gov
When did you join the SPD?
I started the Springfield Police Academy on Jan. 12, 2015.
Did you always want to be a police officer? What made you decide on this career?
I decided to pursue a career in law enforcement when I was in college.
What motivated you to become a PAR officer?
I wanted an opportunity to work with the community on a more personal level and build relationships so that more I can come up with more permanent solutions to their problems.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of work?
I love to hunt, fish, and spend time outdoors with my family.
Describe your family.
Married with two children.
Center North: Grant Beach, Midtown
Officer Kevin Grundy
Officer Kevin GrundyWhen did you join the SPD?
2010.
Did you always want to be a police officer? What made you decide on this career?
When I was younger, I played cops and robbers like all the other boys did. My father was an Oklahoma Highway Patrol Officer when I was growing up and was killed in the line of duty. Through the process of his death, I was able to see various aspects of law enforcement and see the impact one officer can have on a community. I followed in his footsteps for the for part of my education, then stepped back and took another direction.
Years later, I was speaking with a current SPD officer who told me the City needed good officers and kept encouraging me to apply. After some time I realized my passion was to help, serve and protect other people. I revisited my early dreams of chasing down bad guys and keeping people safe. The only regret I have now is not joining the Springfield Police Department earlier in my life.
What motivated you to become a PAR officer?
When it comes to my job, I always tried to give people a better experience with the Police Department than they had the last time. Sometimes that was easier said than done, but while on patrol, I felt like I could never make a long-lasting impression.
Being a PAR officer was a great way for me to get to know a specific region of the city, being able to call people by name and build a better relationship with the community. I noticed immediately when I had an established relationship with someone, there was a higher level of cooperation and better results. I love the interaction I get to have with the businesses on Commercial Street and participating in area events. It lets the community know that police officers are not just robots, but we have personalities. We laugh and have fun, but most importantly, we can be trusted.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of work?
I love good ole Redneckary! I love being outside, whether it’s hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, shooting, etc.. I love playing bass guitar for a local church worship team, and I participate in mission work when I can. I own a woodworking business and even though I don’t run a full-time shop anymore, I do enjoy working on special projects as I get time. I continue to mentor young men in the community, which is a big passion I have as well. Like most anyone else, I love music, movies and reading various books.
Describe your family.
I’ve been married for 13 years and have four children; two boys and two girls. It’s the main reason I have started to get gray hair, not because I’m getting older.
Southwest: Ewing, Fassnight, Sherwood, Mark Twain, Parkcrest
Officer Chris Laughlin
Officer Chris LaughlinWhen did you join the SPD?
2008.
Did you always want to be a police officer? What made you decide on this career?
I grew up in a military household with a 30-year military veteran. My father always encouraged my sister and I to become a public servants in some fashion and serve the community. Therefore, police work is something that has always interested me from a very early age. I have been blessed with finding my calling in life from a very early age and was able to fulfill that dream.
What motivated you to become a PAR officer?
As police officers, we always strive to find a solution for whatever is needed at the time of our interaction or contact. The Community Services Section, specifically the PAR officers, are usually able to allocate more time to figure out those long-term solutions between neighbors or occupants within the community they serve.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of work?
The majority of time is centered around my family. Any spare time is spent playing sports.
Describe your family.
Most of my family scattered around the United States and overseas in Europe.
Southeast: Phelps Grove/University Heights, Seminole/Holland, Kickapoo, Rountree/Walnut, Delaware, Meador Park, Bradford Park, Southside, Bingham, Oak Grove, Brentwood, Southern Hills, Primrose, Sequiota, Lake Springfield
Officer Jacob Boomgaarden
Officer Jacob Boomgaardenjboomgaarden@springfieldmo.gov
When did you join the SPD?
2012.
Did you always want to be a police officer? What made you decide on this career?
Yes. From an early age, I wanted to be a police officer but chose to follow other talents. I was a radio announcer and producer for six years prior to becoming a police officer. I decided to go after a career in law enforcement when I realized that I was tired of sitting behind a desk. I made a major life change and applied.
What motivated you to become a PAR officer?
I’ve always enjoyed community oriented policing. Sometimes finding the answer that’s best for the community may not always be the obvious answer. I enjoy having a new challenge each day and no two days are ever the same. I’ve also focused heavily in my career on mental health and homelessness issues. This is a large part of the daily complaints I handle.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of work?
Spending time with family, grilling, wood working, fishing and firearms instruction/shooting
Describe your family.
I come from a large family (literally and figuratively). I have five brothers scattered across the Midwest. I am the second youngest. I grew up on a farm in a small town in Nebraska.
Center South: West Central
Officer Keith Wright
Officer Keith WrightWhen did you join the SPD?
2014.
Did you always want to be a police officer? What made you decide on this career?
Once I hit my college years, I knew I wanted to work in some aspect of law enforcement. Being a former college athlete, I wanted to pursue a career that was built around teamwork. I had initially started pursuing a career in conservation, but quickly changed to law enforcement due to the influences of a professor who happens to be a retired SPD officer.
What motivated you to become a PAR officer?
The same desires that drove me to be a police officer drove me to become a PAR officer. I enjoy working with the business owners and residents in my assigned area to help solve police-related issues. I also enjoy being able to work closely with the members of this community and to help them understand how we work as a department. I enjoy finding new and innovative ways to resolve community issues.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of work?
My interests and hobbies outside of work include most anything outdoors. I’m an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hunting and fishing. I also enjoy numerous camping trips and weekends spent on the lake with my wife and kids.
Describe your family.
Happily married and a proud father of two.
PAR Zone Map
