LORDSTOWN Village police chief is ending long career

Chief William Catlin's last day on the job is March 2.
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LORDSTOWN -- William Catlin doesn't have any specific plans for life after police work.
"I want to look for some kind of part-time job," he said. "But other than that, I figure I will spend some time with my grandson and do a little fishing and golfing."
After 33 years in law enforcement -- the last 161/2 as chief of the Lordstown Police Department -- Catlin decided it was time to retire. His last day on the job is March 2.
Catlin started his career in police work in 1970 with the Niles Police Department after first spending some time in the military and then working seven years at Reactive Metals.
The decision to move from Niles to Lordstown in June 1986 was an easy one, he said.
"I went for the chief's job," he said. "I looked at the opportunity then and wanted to take the next step in my career. Plus, Lordstown is a very nice, quiet community that's relatively crime free, and it's close to everything."
Because of the low crime rate in the village, Catlin and other officers were able to work on other areas of law enforcement, including building relationships with local residents.
"We have a lot of community involvement; our COP [Community Oriented Policing] is doing very well, and we do a lot of work with our senior citizens," he said.
Reasons for pride
Catlin said he's proud of those accomplishments, as well as the entire staff's work to computerize the department.
Perhaps his biggest claim to fame, however, is serving in 1997 as president of the State Chief's Association. Only one other chief from the Mahoning Valley served as head of the group, and that was in the 1940s, he said.
Even with all the advancements he's overseen in the department, and the hard work he's done in the community, Catlin said he knows it's time to retire.
"I've heard people say you know when it's time to go, and I started feeling that way about a year ago," the 61-year-old chief said.
"That doesn't mean I don't still have mixed emotions about it, especially as the date gets closer and closer. I still have people coming up to me, asking if I haven't changed my mind."
But he knows he will be able to keep busy with his wife, Mary Rose, as they baby-sit their grandson, Blaze. And he will also spend time with his daughters Linda, Janet and Judy and Judy's husband, Justin.
"It's just time to turn the reins over to someone else," he said.
slshaulis@vindy.com