Federal ATF agent accepts township police chief job

The new chief said he's honored and excited about the township job.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- A Youngstown native and federal law enforcement officer has accepted the township police chief job.
Trustees voted 3-0 at a special meeting Friday, after a 11/2-hour executive session, to hire Patrick Berarducci of Medina at 93,200 annually.
Berarducci, an agent with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the past 28 years, starts Feb. 20.
"I'm honored, and I'm excited," Berarducci said.
The length of his contract hasn't been determined.
"We liked the idea that there's a local connection, but he's also enough of an outsider," said Robyn Gallitto, trustees chairwoman. "He also has excellent personnel management skills from what I can see.
Gallitto and Trustee Kathy Miller both said that a person from outside of the department can offer a fresh, objective perspective.
Background
Berarducci is a native of Youngstown's South Side and is a graduate of Wilson High School and Youngstown State University.
Before joining ATF, he served four years as a Youngstown police officer.
His wife, the former Judy Barrett, is a township native and a Cardinal Mooney High School graduate. Her father, Tom Barrett, was a former township trustee.
Berarducci said the police department and its officers are excellent, and says he wants to ensure that officer safety is paramount.
"In ATF, we deal almost exclusively with violent crime," he said. "Every car that the officers stop and every ticket they write, there's the possibility of danger," he said.
Berarducci plans to submit his federal retirement papers after the first of the year. He says he'll likely move to the township. Members of his wife's family reside here, he said.
He spent time Friday meeting members of the department, attending roll call and talking to office personnel.
Some of the office staff have already given him a nickname.
"They called me Papa Bear," he said.
At 93,200, the new chief will earn more than former Chief Jeffrey Patterson who was to earn about 80,000 this year.
Patterson left in July for another job.
Most candidates indicated that they wanted a salary that was a particular percentage above the captain's pay, Gallitto said.
Berarducci's salary will be about 15 percent higher than what the department's two captains are expected to earn this year, she said.