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Retired police chief: Law enforcement a much tougher job
By Jordan Cohen
NILES
Robert Hinton, whose retirement as police chief became official June 23, says it’s much tougher to be a police officer these days than when he joined the Niles police department more than 32 years ago.
“The whole environment of law enforcement has changed because what’s going on nationally spills over here, such as violence against police,” Hinton said. “You’re constantly being scrutinized, and video follows every move you make.
“We’re not entitled to make many mistakes, and just one could cost you your job and even your family life.”
Hinton, 56, joined the force as a patrolman in December 1983 after serving in the Bazetta Township police department for two years. He rose through the ranks and was appointed police chief in 2011.
He cited “health issues” as one of his reasons for retiring, having been on sick leave since Feb. 1. He said, however, the city’s financial emergency played a role in his decision.
“My retirement should save the city some money and I’m hoping they bring back the two civilian employees [administrative assistant and the police maintenance worker] who are still laid off,” Hinton said. “My leaving should enhance the budget.”
Hinton said he was happy to see the recall of three officers who were laid off last February as a result of the city’s budget crunch.
“These were proactive officers, and they’re what we need,” Hinton said. “I didn’t want Niles to lose the guys we trained to other cities.”
Hinton said he has many memories from more than three decades of police work, but two stand out. One of them has nothing to do with crime.
“I was the first officer to call in the 1985 tornado, and the supervisor thought I was nuts,” said Hinton, who had been working a bank detail at the Great East Plaza at the time. He remembers first seeing a hailstorm, debris in the sky and watching as the funnel cloud touched down and began its lethal destruction.
“I went back into the bank and put all the people in the vault,” he recalled. “They all wanted to call home, but couldn’t since there were no cellphones those days.”
Hinton said he then hurried to assist at Route 46 and Niles Vienna Road where the tornado had slammed into the Convenient Food Mart.
“We didn’t have personal cruisers then, so I had to use my own car to get there,” he said. When he arrived, he found nothing but rubble.
His other vivid memory is of the April 1996 armed robbery and all-night hostage situation at the Ponderosa Restaurant on Niles-Youngstown Road. The standoff ended with the capture of two gunmen inside and a close call for Hinton when the third man fled into nearby woods. Hinton did not see him at first.
“They had heavy-duty firearms, and the guy in the woods didn’t see me or he could have shot me,” Hinton said.
Hinton said his immediate plan is to enjoy life with his wife of 32 years and his two adult children. “I missed a lot of things with them, and I hope I can recover some of that,” he said. The now-retired chief also knows what he will miss the most from his days in blue.
“The people,” he said. “The community was wonderful to me, and I wish the people the very best.
“We’re in hard times right now, but I know we’ll recover.”