By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

HELENA–To honor the service, duty and commitment of the late Helena Police Chief Doug Jones, the Helena City Council granted a budget amendment on Sept. 25, for the purchase of a new plaque that will officially rename the Helena Police Department the “Douglas Wright Jones Memorial Headquarters.”

The renaming comes approximately 16 months after the passing of Jones, who served the Helena community for more than 34 years in law enforcement before retiring in August 2015.

During his 34 years of service, Jones served the Helena Police Department in a variety of roles including a K-9 handler, an investigator and as chief of police from 2004-2015.

At the Sept. 25 Helena City Council meeting, a budget amendment was approved to move $1,000 of surplus funds into miscellaneous funds for the purchase of a plaque donning the new name of the Helena Police Department.

The current Helena Police Chief Pete Folmar took over as the new chief following the retirement and passing of Jones and agreed this was something the department felt like needed to be done.

“We at the police department just felt that after almost 40 years of service to the Helena Police Department and leading the police department for 11 years and his untimely passing, it was fitting that the building that he worked the majority of his career in be named after him,” Folmar said. “We had the money in surplus in this budget year and needed to move it from one line item to another.”

The Helena Police Department is located at 816 Shelby County 52 East.