BILLINGS — You might see more of the Billings Police Department on social media feeds after the agency launched a new podcast last month.
Public Affairs Sgt. Jeff Stovall hopes it will show the community a different side of the police department.
What used to be a dispatch radio for Stovall is now a microphone.
“My passion is to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community here,” Stovall said at the Crime Prevention Center in downtown Billings on Monday.
Though he was appointed as the department's public relations officer just last month, he's already got one episode out under his belt.
He says it's not just another way for the department to disseminate information to the public.
“There’s a lot of positivity that comes out of law enforcement so that was kind of where I thought, you know, we need to bring more light to that,” Stovall said.
He's giving the public a glimpse of what they normally don't see: the good news opposed to the bad.
“Not just seeing us just in uniforms but also seeing us in plain clothes as well...kind of bringing that human aspect of things as well,” added Stovall.
His monthly podcast isn't the only one based in the Magic City. Billings public information officer Victoria Hill produces an educational podcast for the city nearly once a month.
“You get to see the faces, and the people that are behind it, and how much involvement, decision making, and steps go into getting an idea or a decision tackled,” Hill said.
Both city employees hope it's a more transprent and effective way to bring the community just a little closer.
“I know them by name now, I know them by face. That’s what I want people to get and understand," added Hill.
There’s going to be a lot of positivity, highlighting great things that are going on because those are more important. There’s more instances of those than bad in this job,” said Stovall.
