Girard police chief to step down after 41-year career

GIRARD — Police Chief John Norman was born and raised in Girard and lived in the city all his life. He said he always wanted to work for the city’s police department, but now has decided it is time to step down as chief after a 41-year career.

Norman will officially retire Sept. 8. He has been chief since 2017.

Norman said he went to school in Girard and knew others who were serving in the police department, so he also decided to become a police officer.

“It has been a great community to work for. I had friends who were police officers who told me to come and work with them. I felt I had the personality to serve and interact with the community,” he said.

Norman was hired by the department on Aug. 12, 1984, as a dispatcher then became a patrolman, police officer and then moved to the detective bureau, where he served most of his career. Norman also worked as a school resource officer.

He was promoted to captain of the detective bureau and then chief.

“There is a lot more movement now, especially with the younger officers and a lot to do with pay. I was always content working in Girard. I knew the people, the department, the community. My sons went to Girard, I was from Girard and wanted to give back to the community,” Norman said.

He said one of the biggest changes in police work is difficulty finding officers.

Norman said that in the 1980s there would be two or three job openings and more than 100 people would apply and take the test. He said today there will be job openings and there may be only three or four people who take the test.

“There is not as much interest in law enforcement as there used to be with the younger generation. There are different reasons for that,” he said.

Norman oversees a department of 16 officers, four dispatchers and one police clerk. He said officers have to be at least 21 to be on the police force.

He said one main change is that more younger people leave the area and take jobs elsewhere, including his own sons.

“The younger members of many local families in Girard move on and go somewhere else,” Norman said.

He said what he has enjoyed most as a police officer is interacting with the community and serving the public.

Norman has worked for seven mayors, including Joseph Melfi, Ken Woodford, Joseph Christopher, Vincent Schuyler, James Melfi and Mark Zuppo.

He also worked for six safety-service directors — Nick Melfi, Ralph Ruggiero, Frank Rich, Jerry Lambert, Sal Ponzio and Mark Ragozine.

Norman also has worked for police chiefs Anthony Ross, Frank Bigowsky and Jeff Palmer.

He said Schuyler was a police captain when he worked for the police department first at the former police department, which had three rooms at the nearby municipal building. In the early 2000s, the new police department and court building opened.

Norman said the department faced challenges over the years, such as the time the city faced fiscal issues and layoffs in 2000. What was the most challenging was the loss of officer Justin Leo on Oct. 21, 2017.

“That was the most challenging situation this department and city has ever seen. I was an SRO for the schools and got to know Dave Leo when he was a principal for my sons. I also knew Justin and he came here interested in a job. He started as a dispatcher and worked for Vienna police and then started in Girard,” Norman said.

He said different events are held in Justin Leo’s memory.

Norman said crime in the city has stayed much the same in the 41 years, noting in the 1990s many departments dealt with crack cocaine issues. He said drugs remain a problem today.

He said after working many years in the department’s detective bureau, Norman had a change as a school resource officer for Girard schools.

“There were very minimal problems. I liked working with the staff and students and tried to attend many sporting and school events. My sons were in school and I would chaperone buses when transporting students. It was great working with the schools. I was the only SRO at the time and covered three buildings, which were the high school, Prospect and Tod Woods,” Norman said.

As for his retirement next month, he said he will continue as an instructor of new police recruits at the Ohio Police Officer Training Academy.

“What I am really looking forward to is I have a grandson who will be 2 next year. My one son and his wife who live in Pittsburgh are expecting their second child. I look forward to being a grandfather and seeing them more. I will also be able to golf more,” he said.

Norman said he is proud of having had the opportunity to serve the city as a police officer and working with the administration, other police officers and the residents.

“Over the years I had some great mentors, and I hope I have been a great mentor to others. I was proud to have served the community, which always backed the police department and me. In general, the police have had a good relationship with the community,” he said.

Safety Service Director Mark Ragozine said “John has been a great asset to the community. I have known him for many years. He was the SRO when I was a student at the high school. That was when I first got to know him. He has always been a tremendous leader in whatever position he has held.”

Ragozine said Norman has guided the police department in a positive direction from when he was head of the detective bureau until his time as chief.

Mayor Mark Zuppo said Norman will be missed.

“He has been an outstanding public servant. I can remember when John and I coached Little League together. John has done so much more for the community than just being a police officer and chief. He ran the baseball program and coached Little League baseball. John has always been an active member of the Girard community,” Zuppo said.

He said Norman’s law enforcement work also extended to his involvement with the county and Mahoning Valley including the drug task force and other groups.

“He is highly recognized for all he has done for Girard and this area,” Zuppo said.