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YPD cop retires after 26 years
By JOE GORMAN
YOUNGSTOWN
Tony Tulipano will be heading from the streets of the West Side to the bluegrass of Kentucky today.
Tulipano retired Wednesday after 26 years as a patrolman on the city police department, mostly working a West Side beat in Car 207. Today he will begin his retirement by moving with his wife to Kentucky so he can be close to his grandchildren, who live there.
An East Side native, Tulipano said he became a police officer because “I always wanted to help people.”
He said the most important thing for the influx of new police officers who are starting at the department is to listen to their training officers and the sergeants and lieutenants they work with. Their experience will be of great help as they start out, Tulipano said.
“Listen to the old guys,” Tulipano said.
Officer Jeff Roberts, who works the same turn as Tulipano, said Tulipano is a pleasure to work with.
“He’s a good people person,” Roberts said. “He takes the time to listen to people.”
Former officer Ken Ruse, who retired last year and worked a West Side car along with Tulipano, said Tulipano made it a point on his beat to stop and chat with people. That made him very popular and also led to great cooperation with police.
“He visits a lot of people, which people like,” Ruse said.
The department gave Tulipano a going-away party in the roll call room when his shift was over, and officers who worked day turn with Tulipano also said their goodbyes on the radio, as did longtime dispatcher William Golec.