Trustees appoint interim police chief

Chief Jeffrey Patterson is leaving to join the Summit County prosecutor's office.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Trustees tapped a 32-year veteran of the township police force to head the department while a search for a permanent replacement proceeds.
At a special meeting Tuesday, the panel unanimously voted to appoint Capt. Jerre Patterson to the interim police chief post. Patterson, who oversees the special operations division, has been with the department since 1974.
He didn't attend Tuesday's meeting.
The appointment was made after Jeffrey Patterson, chief since December 2000, tendered his resignation last month.
Jeffrey Patterson, who recently finished law school and passed the bar exam, has taken a position as an assistant prosecutor with the Summit County prosecutor's office.
His contract with the township was to expire Dec. 31. His last day is July 21.
The Pattersons are not related.
Trustees presented the departing chief with a proclamation honoring his "years of dedicated service" at Monday's meeting.
The proclamation noted Jeffrey Patterson's work in the department receiving national accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
Boardman was the first Mahoning Valley police department to earn the national standard.
The hunt
Trustees have appointed a three-person committee, one appointee from each trustee, to search for a new police chief.
Trustee Robyn Gallitto picked former Youngstown Police Chief Bob Bush, who is an assistant Mahoning County prosecutor.
Elaine Mancini named Glenn Bowers, former township chief; and Kathy Miller selected Dr. A. Bari Lateef, a retired criminal justice professor from Youngstown State University.