Retired Youngstown cop takes helm in Campbell

CAMPBELL

The city has sworn-in Dennis Puskarcik as its new police chief.

Puskarcik, a 1975 Campbell Memorial High School graduate, began his law-enforcement career at the Campbell Police Department.

Puskarcik retired from the Youngstown Police Department in 2003 as a detective-sergeant before moving to Florida to work as an officer for the Palm Beach County School District.

Mayor Nick Phillips fired the previous police chief, Drew Rauzan, in November after Phillips said an Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation found evidence of sexual misconduct on Rauzan’s part. The Ohio BCI is a subset of the Ohio Attorney General’s office.

Ohio Attorney General’s Office spokeswoman Jill DelGreco said the BCI is not releasing any documents from its investigation to the media, pending possible criminal prosecution of Rauzan. No charges had been filed against Rauzan as of Friday.

The BCI has handed over the case to Senior Assistant Attorney General Daniel Kasaris, who will serve as a special prosecutor.

Rauzan, who is attempting to appeal his termination through the city’s civil service commission, has a hearing set for Jan. 27.

Read more about the matter in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.