Staff writer
Citizens may recognize the newest addition to Marion Police Department. Though he has spent some time away, officer Lee Vogel is originally from Marion.
“Being a homegrown boy, and with all his training, Lee is going to make a great addition to the MPD family,” police chief Tyler Mermis said. “He already knows everybody, so he’s going to have a different rapport with the community.”
Though Monday was Vogel’s first official day on the job, it was not his first time working with the MPD crew.
He took part in a work-study program while he still lived with his parents, Tim and Amy, before he graduated from Marion High School in 2010.
“Josh Whitwell, police chief back then, and Tyler and Clinton (Jeffrey) were great to work with,” Vogel said. “I also wanted to be closer to family. So when I saw the opportunity come open, it was a natural choice for me.”
During his work-study, he did accident and junk car reports, and ran radio traffic, but mostly he just shadowed officers to learn about the job.
The shoe fit. Vogel said he likes everything about being a police officer, especially the people.
He was, however, a little nervous before he started because each department has different policies, but he said his previous training had prepared for the position.
In August of 2012, he worked for Pittsburg Police Department in Pittsburg, New Hampshire, until he decided to transfer to Carbondale Police Department near Topeka in January 2013 to get the fulltime officer training he desired.
In August of 2013, he transferred to western Kansas north of Hays to Phillips County Sheriff Department until he saw the position come open at MPD.
Vogel also has guard experience guard at Marion County Jail. He completed his training at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center in May of 2014.
Moving forward, Vogel, now 23, will work the night shift. He has discovered that a sense of humor helps on the job.
“It’s the ticket to the greatest show on earth,” he quipped about being a police officer. “No day is ever the same, and there is never a dull moment.”