YOUNGSTOWN — The new year will bring new leadership for the city’s safety services departments.

Mayor-elect Derrick McDowell announced Friday he has appointed Youngstown’s new fire and police chiefs.

In a news release, McDowell named Detective Sgt. Sharon Cole as the new chief of the Youngstown Police Department and Capt. Courtney Kelly as the new chief of the Youngstown Fire Department. They will be the first women to serve in the roles.

“There is a wonderfully unique window of opportunity to make lasting changes in Youngstown, and now is that moment. Now is the time,” McDowell said in the news release.

“Each of these leaders brings exceptional expertise and a deep dedication to Youngstown’s future. Their work will strengthen our city’s foundation and will work to improve the daily lives of our neighborhoods and residents.”

Cole replaces Chief Carl Davis, who has officially held the office since January 2021 after serving as interim following the resignation of then-Chief Robin Lees. Davis has been with the department since 1986, and assumed the role of chief after retiring and being rehired by outgoing Mayor Jamael Tito Brown.

NEW POLICE CHIEF

Cole, with 25 years of experience, was promoted to detective sergeant in 2017, and has worked in the Internal Affairs Division since 2021. She was the first woman in the department’s history to work in that division.

She joined the department in May 2001, and has also served as a patrol officer, patrol supervisor, a detective and was a member of the Family Services Investigation Unit before joining IAD. Transferring Cole to IAD was one of Davis’s first actions as chief.

The bio on McDowell’s website states that Cole brings broad experience in patrol operations, investigative functions, crisis response, personnel supervision and communications oversight.

She is a member of the Officer-Involved Shooting Team, which has investigated multiple

officer-involved critical incidents. She also has played a key role in departmentwide initiatives, including implementation of the body-worn camera program and the transition to computer-generated media reporting. She also serves as the department’s Crime Stoppers liaison and fulfills Public Information Officer responsibilities.

Before serving with the YPD, Cole worked in the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office and the Youngstown Law Department, and carries over the skills she developed there in municipal law, departmental budgeting and legislative processes.

She is a graduate of East High School and holds an Associate of Applied Science

in Criminal Justice degree. She has been recognized with multiple departmental commendations and a Lifesaving Award.

Cole is married to Capt. Jeff Cole of the Warren City Police Department and has three children.

Because Davis was a retire-rehire, his replacement by Cole means he no longer will work for the city when she officially takes office as chief.

NEW FIRE CHIEF

Kelly takes over for embattled fire Chief Barry Finley, who resigned Dec. 2 after serving the department since 1993. Like Davis, Finley also retired and was rehired, but left at the beginning of the month, saying he can no longer lead because of differences with the Youngstown Professional Fire Fighters IAFF Local 312 union.

Appointed in February 2018, Finley has faced constant criticism during his tenure over staffing problems, station closures and personal grievances between himself and the union.

Kelly brings 26 years of experience. According to social media posts by the union, Kelly was among nine firefighters demoted by the administration in 2018 as a cost-saving measure. She was then promoted back to captain.

According to biographical information on McDowell’s website, Kelly has been with the fire department since 2006, after beginning her safety services career as a paramedic in the city. The bio states that Kelly’s professional focus has been on team-building, supporting training and mentorship, “and ensuring public safety services are delivered with integrity and accountability.”

Kelly is married to a Youngstown police sergeant and has three daughters, all of whom have careers in public service — one is a Youngstown firefighter and labor and delivery nurse, another is a Youngstown police officer, and the third is a respiratory therapist and EMT.

“We look forward to working with Chief Kelly and the McDowell administration in enhancing and moving the fire department forward,” said Union President Chris Weaver.

Neither Kelly nor Cole responded to requests for comment Friday.

MCDOWELL HISTORY

McDowell, the first independent candidate to win the office since Jay Williams 20 years ago, will take office Jan. 1. He beat Brown, a two-term Democratic mayor, by a margin of 55.1% to 44.6% with write-ins getting the remaining 0.3% of the vote.

Last week, in what he called Phase 1 of his administrative staffing plan, McDowell named Jonathan Huff as his chief of staff, Adam Buente as law director and announced that he would retain Kyle Miasek as finance director. Cole and Kelly represent Phase 2.

The news release states that final interviews for Phase 3 are in progress, and McDowell soon will name his appointments for deputy director of public works, water commissioner, blight remediation and code enforcement, buildings and grounds, parks and recreation and coordinator of downtown events and special projects.

Miasek was hired in early 2006 as deputy finance director by then-Mayor Jay Williams and served in that capacity during two other administrations. In January 2018, Brown named Miasek interim finance director without a deputy and formally appointed him to the position in March 2021.

Huff, hired in 2007 by Williams as executive director of the human relations commission, has been Youngstown’s civil service administrator since he was appointed to that position in 2012 by Chuck Sammarone.

He replaces Nikki Fields, hired in 2019 as Brown’s chief of staff and director of the community planning and economic development department. Fields declined to be interviewed by McDowell.

Buente replaces Lori Shells Simmons, who has been in the position only since January. He started in February 2020 as deputy finance director and focuses on civil legal matters. Before that, he worked for the Manchester, Newman and Bennett law firm in Youngstown and still has a small, part-time legal practice.