Galion Police Department swear in new chaplain, officers, and lieutenant at council meeting

By Jordan Studer

At the Galion City Council meeting Tuesday evening, three new police officers, a new chaplain, and a new lieutenant were sworn into the Galion Police Department (GPD).

First to be sworn into the GPD by Chief Saterfield and Mayor Tom O’Leary was Pastor Ash Welch, the new Police Chaplain of the department. Welch is the current Pastor at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Galion. Austin Chaplin, Brandon Grant, and Jonathan Patton were all sworn in as new officers.Chaplin is the closest to home, as he was a 2013 grad of Galion High School. Patton was a 2008 grad of Mt. Gilead High School, and Grant was a 2007 grad of Shelby High School. According to Saterfield, by hiring three new officers, the staffing level has been brought back up to eighteen, the authorized number for GPD.

Chaplin is the closest to home, as he was a 2013 grad of Galion High School. Patton was a 2008 grad of Mt. Gilead High School, and Grant was a 2007 grad of Shelby High School. According to Saterfield, by hiring three new officers, the staffing level has been brought back up to eighteen, the authorized number for GPD.

Officer Ryan Strange was also sworn in as a new lieutenant rank. Lt. Strange has served as an officer with GPD since February 2009, eight years. With Lt. Strange being sworn in, that makes him a fourth Lieutenant with GPD.

O’Leary explained that he believed Strange is a great testament that great things can happen when hard work and dedication are put forth.

“Just in the four years I’ve been in office, we’ve had a lot of folks that started with Ryan go on to other departments. He stuck it out, had some confidence in us, and I think that confidence is being rewarded with the first promotional step…I think it’s a good example to the three new folks who were sworn in tonight. If you stay with the department, good things will happen,” O’Leary commented.

Upon conclusion of swearing in the new staff of GPD, the floor was opened up to citizens desiring to address council. One concerned citizen wanting to address council was Allison Matthews. Matthews came before the council asking when the drain in front of her house will be fixed, as it is a mess.

“The stuff around it, the asphalt is all decayed. There’s a tree growing in it right now,” Matthews explained.

Matthews said she spoke to the young men she saw fixing drains near hers, and asked them when hers will be fixed. According to Matthews, the young men claimed that her name was on the list and the drain would be tended to, but it still has not been fixed.

Council President Carl Watt assured Matthews that he and the council would get the right people involved and get it fixed.

Other items on the agenda involved several Ordinance wording changes made by request of the state. However, the re-wording of the Ordinances is to have no effect on the community.