On behalf of the Shelby Police Department, Chief Charlie Roub welcomed Cody Baker as their newest full-time officer. Baker was added to the department when a new program started with the addition of a school resource officer.
“We started a new program with the school resource officer and what that did was take one of my regular officers and put them in the school. With that taking place, it left us one officer short with being out on the road. With the approval of council, we hired Cody to replace that officer on the street,” said Roub.
“After his training, he will have the same requirements as everyone else with the department including traffic and handle calls,” said Roub. Baker’s first official day on the job was October 27. “There is a lot that goes on the first couple weeks with the training regarding firearms and use of force. He has already been to police academy which has given him the basics, but that is just the start of his learning,” said Roub.
The extensive hiring process of a new officer begins with an thorough background check and reviewing the candidate through friends, neighbors, and former employers. “Once we are finished with that, we have them take a polygraph exam and have an extensive psychological background check along with an extensive physical,” said Roub.
Baker graduated from Shelby High School in 2008. Baker attended Ohio University and then Hocking College. After that, he attended North Central State Police Academy, where he is currently enrolled earning a degree in criminal justice.
Baker began his journey with Hocking College and had an internship at Preservation Parks of Delaware County. “I worked with an officer and he was in charge of parks maintenance but he was also a lead officer for their department. I got a chance to see what was done on a daily basis. One of the things the officer talked to me about was how earlier in his career he wished that he would have went into state highway patrol or went to a regular police academy. Before that I never looked at law enforcement the way I look at it now,” said Baker.
When Baker started his education he had a different career path in mind. “Parks and recreation is different from the DNR, which is Division of Natural Resources. DNR has wildlife and game laws. That is what I started out wanting to do,” said Baker.
Baker realized employment opportunities were limited in North Central Ohio with the DNR. “With the DNR, you don’t really get to pick where you want to work. You go through their academy and they place you. I realized that I wanted to stay in North Central Ohio and I wanted to be able to choose where I went. That was a deciding factor for me and I am glad I went through the police academy. I learned a lot and it confirmed what I really wanted to do,” said Baker.
Baker started the police academy in August 2012 and finished in March 2013. He graduated in April 2013. In May 2013, Baker became a part time dispatcher/auxiliary police officer in Lexington. “I started with Lexington in May and worked there until the day I started with Shelby. It went really well in Lexington and it was a great experience. I am very excited to be here with Shelby. This was the first job I applied to. I was not even finished with the academy when I applied here. I am very happy to have this job,” said Baker.
Baker will be graduating in May 2014 with a degree in criminal justice.
