Howland trustes announce intention to promote Roberts chief of police

Staff report

HOWLAND

The Howland Township trustees announced they intend to appoint Assistant Police Chief Nick Roberts to be police chief at the start of next year, contingent upon Chief Paul Monroe’s being elected sheriff in November.

Monroe won the March 15 primary and now only faces the possibility of a write-in candidate in November. The deadline to apply to run as a write-in is Aug. 29.

Roberts has been assistant chief since the end of 2012, has been with the Howland Police Department 12 years and has 18 years’ experience in law enforcement, Trustee Rick Clark said.

He is a member of the Trumbull County Homicide Task Force, having been detective before becoming assistant chief. He also worked for the Weathersfield Police Department before coming to Howland, Clark said.

The trustees voted 3-0 Wednesday on the Roberts decision.

“He’s been an outstanding assistant chief. I never really thought of anyone else for the position,” Clark said.

“I think we all knew who we wanted to fill the job,” he said.

There was no outside search undertaken. One officer from within the department applied.

Monroe and the Howland chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police also recommended Roberts, Clark said.

Howland likes to promote from within its ranks, Clark said, having promoted Monroe from within and also the fire chief, James Pantalone.