Warren police get new captain


May 9, 2013 at 12:00a.m.

Special to The Vindicator

WARREN

Eric Merkel, a Warren police officer since 1995, was sworn in as police captain Wednesday, but he may only fill the position for a few months.

Hours before the swearing- in ceremony at city hall, the Civil Service Commission certified results of the police chief examination of last March in which Merkel achieved the highest score.

Police Chief Tim Bowers is expected to retire this summer, and Merkel’s high score will elevate him to chief upon Bowers’ retirement.

Two lieutenants and one captain finished behind Merkel’s score of more than 87 percent.

Last March, Merkel, who had been a police lieutenant for the past five years, also took the captain’s test and scored highest in that examination.

Merkel, a Howland High School graduate, has a criminal-justice degree from Kent State University and is a graduate of an FBI academy.