Lowellville names Bonacci new police chief
By EMMALEE C. TORISK
LOWELLVILLE
Ryan Bonacci can’t wait to start making strides of his own within both the village’s police department and the village itself in his new role as Lowellville’s police chief.
Mayor James Iudiciani Sr., with the support of council, appointed Bonacci to the position earlier this week. Bonacci replaces former Chief William Vance, who retired Aug. 2 after 27 years with the Lowellville Police Department.
“I’m very honored that the mayor and council had the faith in me to select me for the job,” Bonacci said. “I’m really looking forward to working with them to better our community.”
The 32-year-old will act as interim chief of the police department through the remainder of the month, then officially take over as the “full-blown chief” come September.
Bonacci said he intends to improve communication within the police department, with village administrators and with the fire department, as well as become more visible in the community, primarily through foot patrols.
“We want to interact with the community and build trust with residents,” he said. “We want them to know they can come to [the police] with anything.”
With a father and a brother involved in law enforcement, it’s always been “a part of life” for Bonacci, who graduated from Ursuline High School in 1999 and also received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Gannon University.
Bonacci served as a police officer for six years in Newport News, Va., then for two years in Lowellville before assuming the role of chief.
Over the course of his career, he said, he’s won awards for police excellence, life-saving and community service, and also boasts grant-writing experience.
Bonacci, who also coaches football at Ursuline, lives in Youngstown with his wife, Kathy, and their 3-month-old son, Ryan.
Iudiciani said Bonacci’s impressive qualifications perfectly “fit the bill” for a the community’s new police chief. He added that both he and council felt the need to promote within the police department.
“He’s a respectful and likable guy,” Iudiciani said. “He’ll bring a new management style to the department. I’m looking forward to Ryan’s leadership, as well as his ability to move the department forward.”
Other changes within the Lowellville Police Department are the promotion of part-time officer Jeremy Cramer to a full-time officer — the department’s fourth — and the hiring of Stacy M. Karis as the village’s first school-resource officer, Iudiciani added.
“It’s going to be a welcome change,” he said.