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Lowellville adds two each to police, fire departments
By EMMALEE C. TORISK
LOWELLVILLE
Barely a month after being appointed as the village’s newest police chief, Ryan Bonacci already is working to fill vacancies within the department — particularly with those who know the area well.
“We want them to have an interest or a stake in the community, and want to work hard to make it better,” he said. “You can’t ask for someone to be more committed than somebody who lives here.”
On Tuesday, during a special meeting of the Lowellville Village Council, Bonacci added two more area residents to his fleet of part-time officers, as did Fire Chief Al Boggia, whose department gained an emergency medical technician and an EMT/firefighter.
Per a village ordinance, the police department is permitted four full-time officers, which it currently has, and 10 part-time officers. The appointment of Joshua Kozic of Lowellville and Daniel Baker of Struthers subsequently increases the police department’s number of part-time officers to eight.
About six candidates interviewed for the open positions, Bonacci said, adding that Kozic and Baker, who are both in their early 20s, seem willing and eager to learn.
Kozic — who Bonacci referred to as “very well mannered and well spoken” — has worked as a patrolman for Humility of Mary Health Partners, and is a recent police-academy graduate.
Baker has worked for the Coitsville Police Department, and has a “firm grasp on police work,” as evidenced by his performance during mutual-aid situations involving the Coitsville and Lowellville police departments, Bonacci said.
He added that the Lowellville Police Department is a “fairly young” one, but said he views this trait as a positive that will work in the village’s favor.
And though eight members of the department are under age 35, himself included, Bonacci said it’s also staffed by several older officers who serve as “an endless well of knowledge, [who are] always right there and ready to help out anytime they can.” It’s the perfect balance, he added.
“We are going to do great things down here,” Bonacci said. “With the staff we have now, there’s no doubt in my mind we’ll get there sooner than I thought we would.”
Likewise, the addition of Lynn Cataldo and Tommy Pilkington, both of Lowellville, to the Lowellville Volunteer Fire Department will increase its response time, Boggia said.
“It’s improving,” he said. “But we’re always looking for people to volunteer. We want more; you never have enough.”
Cataldo, a graduate of Youngstown State University, was hired by the department as an EMT, while Pilkington, a graduate of Columbia College in Missouri, was hired as an EMT/firefighter.
The village now boasts a 22-member fire department — including 11 first responders, two EMTs and one paramedic.