Page 6 - SEPTEMBER

Page 6 NEWFOUNDLAKELIFE.COM September 2021
Community
By DoNNa rhoDeS
Meet the Police - Lt. Tim Woodward
BRISTOL – Lt. Tim Wood- ward is one of just a few Bristol Police officers who were born and raised locally and are proud to serve their community. Wood- ward said that his interest in the police department began when he was in kindergarten or first grade. It was a time when he was excited about the badges, uniforms, and the cruisers the officers drove. However, as he got older, he gained more respect and understanding for the job it- self and considered it a potential goal in his life.
However, upon graduating from Newfound Regional High School, Woodward said he spent a couple of years at New Hampshire Technical Institute (NHTI), exploring other career options. “It was anything but po- lice work,” he said with a smile. In the end, he determined that being a police officer was his ultimate goal, though, and the events that unfolded after 9/11 solidified his decision. “I had
friends who joined the military, but I didn’t want to go overseas, so I chose the police instead,” Woodward said.
He stepped into his law en- forcement career at the age of 21 and has stuck with it ever since. He began his career at Bristol Police Department as a patrol officer, working his way up through the ranks. Over 16- years as a member of the Bristol Police Department, Woodward has served as a patrolman, a ser- geant, and six years ago, he was promoted to lieutenant. Other roles during those years have in- cluded ten years as an investiga- tor and five years as a prosecutor. As a prosecutor, he admitted that was a tough assignment, but he also enjoyed it for the network- ing opportunities with other law enforcement departments. “It’s not a job people do for more than [a few years], but I met a lot of good people along the way,” Woodward said.
In his role as an investiga- tor, he said he enjoyed the task
of gathering evidence, tracking down leads, and finding out the “why” in each case, even though that was the most challenging part of the job and not always attainable.
As for the Bristol/Newfound community he serves, Wood- ward could not say enough. He said the downtown revitalization project, along with the growth of the lakeside community, has
made it a great place to live and visit. And, considering his love for outdoor recreation, he said he still keeps his eye out for local wildlife while on patrol. Over the years, bears, moose, deer, and other local “neighbors” can be found running around down- town Bristol late at any time of the day or night. Including the middle school parking lot where a moose once visited and a bear
at S.Main and Church Street. “I love the whole wildlife factor of the town,” he said. “Really, I just love it here, and when you love someplace, you don’t want to ever leave.”
One other factor is his love for the community spirit of Bris- tol. When Steve Hanser, a local contractor/benefactor/volunteer and former Laconia firefighter, was seriously injured in an ac- cident this spring, Bristol Police Department set out right away to support him and his family. Their raffle raised more than $15,000 to benefit them in trou- bled times. Woodward was quite proud of his department and the people who backed them in this endeavor. “It just goes to show what a great community we have here,” he said. That is only one small part of why Lt. Woodward looks forward to continuing his job with Bristol Police, at any level, until his retirement some- time down the road.
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closed September 5th through September 22ND. New hours beginning September 23rd Thurs-SaT 3pm to 8PM SuNday 12pm to 6PM
www.shackettsbrewing.com