Humans of CR - CRPD Lieutenant Tobey Harrison

Growing up, Tobey never thought he would be a cop. In high school, he didn’t really know what he wanted to do until one day when he got a call from the army reserve. The marine reserve had called, looking for Tobey’s brother. Tobey’s brother wasn’t home, but Tobey was interested, so he took the call. After that call, Tobey knew that joining the military was right for him. A year later Tobey was enlisted, the year after that he was trained and on base. Tobey’s military career didn’t entail a lot, as he was a part of a reserve, but his infantry was one of the two chosen to go on the desert storm mission. During the mission, Tobey’s regiment earned the honor of best infantry. After Desert Storm, Tobey’s military career winded down. During his last few years at the reserve, he worked alongside the local police and sheriff department. One day the local sheriff asked Tobey to come for a ride with him. On that ride, Tobey decided that he wanted to continue serving his country, but from local threats, not threats “across the pond,” as Tobey said. Tobey eventually did all the additional training needed to join the Cedar Rapids Police Department. As a new police officer, most of his time was spent cruising his designated area, but as he progressed up the ranks his job took on a much different light. Now, as a district lieutenant, Tobey spends most of his time out of his car, walking the streets. Tobey has enacted a new type of policing called community policing. This type of policing is based around forming personal bonds to the communities that he serves. Tobey said, “I believe forming relationships is key to being a good police officer.” Tobey now spends most of his time patrolling the streets of the west side by foot.