Our opinion: A time of change for city public safety
A time of change for city public safety
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The city of Warren's public safety leadership is in a state of flux with the retirements of police chief Joe Sproveri and fire chief Dave Krogler.
Both men have served the city capably over the years.
Among Sproveri's accomplishments as police chief was the department's achievement of premier accreditation through the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission, a process that provides an outside evaluation of a police department's policies, procedures and overall professionalism. Krogler helped advance the fire department through grant writing, equipment purchases and facility improvements that upgraded the department's facilities and equipment while also helping lead the effort to expand Warren's emergency medical services and developing agreements with neighboring municipalities.
It's safe to say that both Sproveri and Krogler leave their respective departments in a better place than they found them – and the departments were, in our opinion, functioning pretty well before they began their terms as chief. That makes life easier for their successors. Jason Bees has been named Warren's new police chief while Krogler's replacement has not yet been named by Mayor Dave Wortman and the City Council, though Deputy Chief Chad Rulander is expected to take the reins.
Perhaps the best measure of the work Sproveri and Krogler did is in the quality of their replacements. Rulander has been involved in grant writing in recent years while Bees suggested the creation of a "Safe Exchange Zone" in the police department parking lot to create a secure area for child custody exchanges by offering a neutral and secure meeting point for parents, reducing potential stress and conflict during custody transfers as well as online purchase transactions, providing a safe alternative to meeting strangers at private residences.
New leadership will bring new ideas and opportunities for younger police officers and firefighters to step into leadership positions as well. We're excited to see where the future leads for the city police and fire departments – but none of that would be possible without the service Sproveri and Krogler have provided to city residents over their careers.