First Perkins police chief meets public at open house

PERKINS TWP. — When the Perkins Police Department was founded in 1958, Chief James Dee wasn't just the chief — he was the entire department.During his 12-year tenure with the department, Dee, now 84, worked entirely on his own for about five years before a part-time officer joined him."After seven (or) eight years, we had a full-time man," Dee said. "That made the job a lot easier."Residents were able to meet Dee and other Perkins officers at an open house Monday at the department's Columbus Avenue station.Officers displayed police weaponry and equipment to several dozen attendees, who asked questions about the gear and how it's used. Other officers and Chief Robb Parthemore led tours through the facility.Guests watch as Perkins police Officer Justin Dority plays with his K-9 partner, Sport, Monday, Oct. 1, at an open house. Among other tidbits, Parthemore told guests a story of how a crescent-shaped stain came to be on a Formica countertop in the department's intake room. He said a "young officer" brought a suspect into the station, who had a bottle with a substance inside, suspected to be drugs, and placed it on the counter.That suspicion was correct — the bottle was as a portable meth lab, Parthemore said."We said, 'oh, that probably shouldn't be here,'" he told guests on a tour.By the time firefighters arrived to remove the bottle, it already burned a mark into the counter, Parthemore said.[gallery]Guests asked Parthemore questions about the office's detective bureau, and others spoke to K-9 officers about their dogs, Thor and Sport.Perkins Township trustee Jim Lang, who served with Perkins police from 1972 to 1995 and was the former Sandusky police chief, said the department's grown since he served with them.Perkins police Sgt. Brent Adams shows guests rifles used by officers during an open house Monday, Oct. 1."When I started, there were five full-time officers," Lang said. "Many things are better now."Guests also enjoyed cake, juice and coffee.Visit our Perkins police hub for more storiesReach reporter Brandon Addeo at brandonaddeo@sanduskyregister.com, follow him on Twitter @BrandonAddeo and follow the Register at Facebook.com/SanduskyRegisterJames Dee, 84, who served as Perkins police's first chief, attended and met with residents at a Perkins police open house Monday, Oct. 1.K-9 Thor watches a ball held by officer and handler Joe Bauman Monday, Oct. 1, at a Perkins police open house.