At the most recent community collaboration meeting, New Holland Mayor Tim Bender made a statement praising police chief Bill Leighty and expressing confidence in the man who has been leading the force since 2017.

Leighty, a Manheim Township native, who also served with New Holland law enforcement early in his career, said that good community relations are essential to modern police work. "We need (good communication between police and the community) more than ever," said Leighty, who noted he serves residents from several generations, including boomers and millennials. "They all come from diverse backgrounds," he added.

Leighty noted that when he was growing up, a sense of community and the "it takes a village to raise a child" concept was ever present in his neighborhood. "That was so valuable," he said. "If you were playing with friends, all the parents looked out for all the children." He sees the idea as the basis of community safety. "It was important for us ... as a police agency, to get involved with the community to develop that trust and solidify that relationship," he said, noting that improving community safety and deterring and solving crimes are all tied to that relationship.

Working to improve relations involves partnering with local organizations such as CrossNet Ministries and Garden Spot Fire Rescue and organizing events like National Night Out, which was held in the community park on Jackson Street on Aug. 1. "We interact and engage well with other agencies in the community," said Leighty.

Following high school, Leighty studied business administration in college before working as a purchasing manager for a local company. He helped the company to keep employee relations strong during the recession of the early 1980s by working a deal with a local garage for employees to fill their car gas tanks during early morning hours. By the mid-1980s, Leighty had decided to revisit his interest in law enforcement, and he went to work at the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office. He later served as chief of the Clay Township force, which became the Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department. "I have been in the county in law enforcement for 34 years," said Leighty.

Coming back to New Holland as chief, Leighty recognized the special culture of the area. "New Holland is unique because (residents) really strive to emphasize community relationship, and they rally in support of the police department," stated Leighty. "That was key for me." Leighty seeks to build on that attitude. "In today's culture, community is so important because it relies upon trust, helping others, and working together," he said.

Leighty said that the department has received a federal grant to move forward for accreditation. "That will allow us to be more professional and hold us to a higher level of accountability to the community," said Leighty. "There are outside organizations through the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police that will review everything we do to say that we are holding to those standards."

For more information about the department, readers may visit http://www.facebook.com/NewHollandPD.