Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010

Blue Springs Police Department recognizes employee of the month

Sgt. Allen Kintz, Blue Springs Police Department

The Blue Springs Police Department would like to introduce the most recent employee of the month, Officer Terri Klote.

Klote began her law enforcement career with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department in 1979. She came to the Blue Springs Police Department in March of 1987 as a uniformed patrol officer working the streets and neighborhoods of Blue Springs.

In 1994, Klote transferred to the Community and Youth Outreach Unit as a school resource officer at Brittany Hill Middle School. She enjoyed working with the youth of our city and was assigned as a case manager to many students from the Blue Springs School District. She taught classes to the middle school students regarding making positive decisions and avoiding the pressures to take drugs.

Klote began a new chapter of her career in 1998, when she was assigned to the Jackson County Drug Task Force as a narcotics agent, working in an undercover capacity, purchasing illegal narcotics from drug traffickers, and investigating active cases as a detective. While with the task force, Klote served as a mentor to newly hired police officers.

In August of 2008, Klote ended her 10 year assignment with the Jackson County Drug Task Force and returned to the Community and Youth Outreach Unit. Klote has worked part time at Valley View High School, teaching anti-drug classes and working with at-risk students. Concurrently, she has worked in the Crisis Assistance Program, conducting one on one sessions as a case manager with families and youth. Klote altered her schedule last year in order to work late in the evenings to give additional opportunities to families who could not make daytime appointments with the Community and Youth Outreach Unit, and get them the assistance they needed. Klote made this a priority for herself because she believes it is vitally important for families.

Always a team player, at the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year, Klote accepted a new assignment as the school resource officer at the Blue Springs Freshman Center. She is working half days at the Freshman Center while continuing her work as an intake specialist and conducting case management sessions with youth.

“You can always count on Officer Klote to do what needs to be done without complaining,” said Cpt. Modrell. “She is always looking at what is best for the family and the community.”

It is for her commitment to the department and the community that Terri Klote has been selected as the Blue Springs Police Department Employee of the Month.