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Captain Mark Goddard

Captain Mark Goddard

Dunklin County 911 Commications

CHRIS KAISER to the officers who responds. “It’s out job to find
special to the ddd out what’s going on. It’s also our job to make sure
the officers get to go home everyday.”
If you’ve had to call the Kennett Police Depart- After a few years working though the grant ad-
ment within the last 43 years, you have probably ministered by the LEAA, the city decided to em-
been greeted by Captain Mark Goddard, who leads ploy Goddard with their own funds.
communications for the City of Kennett 911. Since coming onto the force, Goddard says he
Goddard started working for the city in 1975. He has seen much of the technology change through
was hired by then police chief, Bill Cox. It was due the years. Some of the updates include how they
to a federal grant received by the city from the Law search the statewide system, called Missouri Uni-
Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA.) form Law Enforcement System (MULES,) which
As a young man, Goddard says he would listen to Goddard says is one of his favorite aspects of the
the police frequencies on the A.M., radio and said job.
to himself, “I’d like to do something like that.” Be- When he first started the job, Goddard said the
fore being hired on with the police dept., Goddard city had lost Mules because they didn’t have an op-
worked at local radio station KTMO/KBOA, where erator for it. The police department then success-
today he works part-time. fully worked to gain back the resource, which they
Goddard says as a child he dreamed of having a continues to utilize today. Goddard says “being
career in law enforcement. “I think every little boy able to have that, being able to check if people are
wants to be a police officer or work in law enforce- wanted, check car tags, and get criminal history is
ment,” Goddard said. It was the admiration of the a good resource to have.”
police as well as his love for technology that led The changing technology has also allowed po-
to his career. “I loved technology. I loved radio. I lice departments, nationwide the ability to relay
used to always, and still do listen to the radio at information at a much faster pace. Once a police
night. I always wanted to work in radio.” Now, he
serves the community relaying calls from citizens See GODDARD page 12

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