Dyersville Interns Protect the Streets

By Katie Wiedemann, Reporter

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By Katie Wiedemann

Story Created: Jun 11, 2009 at 3:50 PM CST

Story Updated: Jun 12, 2009 at 2:36 AM CST

DYERSVILLE - Police in Dyersville have a couple more people on staff this summer.The department has hired two interns who patrol the streets on their bicycles. Its part of a program the small Dubuque County community relies on for protection.

This isn't a typical summer internship. Intern Troy Kammerude said, "You could be the first person at a scene and you have to try to defuse the situation."

College students and aspiring police officers Troy Kammerude and Kendra Balik are spending their summer patrolling the streets of Dyersville, on bike.

They do NOT carry guns, but it's their job to keep watch after the sun goes down.
Chief Martin Botts said, "In the evening and night time hours they are our quiet eyes in the neighborhoods that aren't big marked squad cars."

The city pays the interns eight bucks an hour. Botts says that means the city is getting inexpensive protection.

Botts said, "a number of years ago because of budget cuts we had to cut the program for the year and our vandalism rate went through the roof."

In this economy, when jobs in any field are hard to come by Kammerude says it’s critical to have this work on his resume.

Kammerude said, "A bachelors degree and some real good hands on things with this department and this internship, it definitely puts me a couple levels ahead of somebody."

The interns serve as a liaison between police and the citizens.
Kammerude hopes this internship serves as a stepping stone towards a job.

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