Canfield sergeant to share knowledge on leadership

By ELISE FRANCO

efranco@vindy,com

CANFIELD

The future of the city’s police department starts with Sgt. Cristobal Ruiz.

Ruiz, a 16-year veteran on the force, recently completed a 14-month Certified Law Enforcement Executive program in Dublin, Ohio. It taught him about leadership and professional development for himself as well as the entire department.

“Part of our agency’s core values are education and training,” he said. “The opportunity for me to attend a challenging seminar like this one definitely helps us address overall leadership roles.”

Canfield Police Chief Chuck Colucci said Ruiz’s training is meant to give a “greater appreciation for the bigger picture of law enforcement.”

Colucci said it trains the police to ask questions and look to the future.

Questions he said officers need to ask are: “Where do you want to see your police department end up in five, 10, 15 years, and how are you going to get there?”

“It also helps us look at how our employees and the community will fit into the plan. It ties it all together in motivating your employees to work together to accomplish the goals you’ve set.”

Ruiz, 40, said Canfield officers are expected to maintain a high level of service to the community, and the program taught him how to pass that on to the rest of the force.

“By instilling those values in the officers we recruit, we continue a tradition for years to come,” he said. “If we don’t perpetuate that goal, it’ll pretty much die out when we leave.”

Colucci said Ruiz is the third officer in Canfield to complete the training.

“I went through it, and the retired chief [David Blystone] went through it,” Colucci said. “The hope here with him is ... to give him the opportunity to implement the lessons learned.”

Ruiz was the only officer from the area to complete the most recent training course, though Colucci said officers from Boardman have done it previously.

Colucci said officers are nominated and go through a tough application process.

“He’s got 12 or 13 years left to go, and he’s in a position where he can make change,” he said. “He’s one of the officers who will carry the department into the future.”

Ruiz said he was humbled by the support of his colleagues.

“It meant a lot. It was a culmination basically in the years of service I’ve put in,” Ruiz said. “I am humbled by and proud of the fact that [the department was] giving me the support and opportunity.”