By Chad Koenen

Publisher

Dave Wilson knows there is much more to being a police officer than simply writing tickets and chasing down bad guys. There are the interactions with the public, building trust in the community and being a part of the inner workings of the entire town itself.

Wilson is hoping to be an important part of the community as the new full-time police officer with the Henning Police Department. He joins Henning Police Chief Mike Helle as the two full-time officers in the City of Henning.

The new position allows him to not only work closer to home as he lives in rural Henning with his wife, but also allows him the chance to serve as a rural police officer. His wife Amanda is an artist and they moved to the area from the Twin Cities in 2020. 

While some police officers like the thrill of the chase, Wilson said he likes the ability to interact with the public and be a part of the community. 

“I like to do more community policing,” he said. 

Prior to joining the Henning Police Department, Wilson served as a police officer in Battle Lake. Before moving to the area he worked as a police officer in the Twin Cities, where he also served as a firefighter and EMT for the City of Fridley. He said it was there that he learned about the importance of being a part of the community.

“I learned about not just policing, but what a first responder means to a community,” he said. 

As he settles into his new position, Wilson said he likes the variety of work that being a police officer can offer. For example, one minute he can be assisting a local resident in need, and the next, he could be responding to something completely different on the other side of town.

Wilson said he is looking forward to getting to know even more people in the Henning community.

“People are always welcome to come up and say hi to me,” he said.