Denison cop enjoys learning on the beat

Denison police Officer Donald Hash chats with a woman on his beat. (KTEN)

DENISON, Texas -- Denison police Officer Donald Hash is a familiar face to many people in the city, but not because of the uniform he wears.

"I like speaking with people and getting to know them," he said. "They'll share things with me such as issues they have, or just to talk... just to vent."

Hash specializes in what the department refers to as "public relations calls."

"I try to do one at least every day," he said. "When you do a call load, that's not always possible."

Hash hits the streets not just to see what's gone wrong, but to check up on people who are out and about.

"I figure that we can all learn something every day, and it's usually the most unexpected places and people that we end up learning something very important that we can share with somebody else," he said.

This three-year veteran of the police department visited every merchant in downtown Denison just to hear concerns or comments from business owners.

"It wasn't that I came away with any interesting tale or anything, but I got to meet dozens of people about any kind of security issues, cares, or concerns, or compliments," Hash said.

He said establishing these relationships can help the police department in many different ways.

"Some people have ended up helping me catch people who were running from us because they know me and they feel comfortable working with me," Hash explained.

And the most unique lessons he learns come from all different kinds of people.

"Sometimes even a little kid can teach you something that you never thought about before, and you can pass it on to the next person," he said.