Introduction of the new assistant police chief leads to heated moments at Brookings City Council meeting

The appointment of longtime Brookings police officer Joe Fishbaugher was questioned by a citizen. Perry Miller has more…

Assistant Chief Fishbaugher issued a statement Thursday. Here it is in its entirety:

In 2016 I made inappropriate comments on social media, and what I said was wrong. I acknowledge that I am a flawed person. That difficult time in my life was a cause for great reflection. It humbled me. I’ve used that experience to learn from my mistakes and to continue to use it as an example to remind myself and to teach others. This past week the choice that was made for me to hold the leadership position of Assistant Police Chief was brought into question due to my past actions, and I understand why. Today, I’m asking for forgiveness for what happened then.

I believe that to be a better leader, one must experience failure. In 2016 I failed. Since then I have taken what I have learned and used it to better myself and to also become more open to the viewpoints of others. I’ve put the community first in my life and continued to build relationships in our city. Once again in 2020, I find myself in a situation where I can experience more growth as a human being and to talk to members of the community and have conversations regarding the concerns which have been presented. I truly believe that everyone has the right to be listened to. Everyone has the right to be heard. My door is always open, and as the new Brookings Assistant Police Chief, I know the great amount of potential that exists within my position and my goal is to move forward as a community, facing issues and growing together to build an inclusive and safe Brookings we all call home.

August 27, 2020