Thursday, August 16, 2018
Tisone departs Friday
LIBERTY
After almost 32 years of serving Liberty Township, police Chief Richard Tisone will retire Friday.
Under his administration, the National Council for Home Safety and Security ranked Liberty as the safest township in Trumbull County.
When that ranking was published in March, township Administrator Pat Ungaro said: “The statistics speak for themselves. It’s an indication of the police department as a whole under Tisone’s leadership ... he has been a strong leader.”
Tisone said crime statistics in Liberty have gone down over the years, and he attributes it to the officers being proactive and aggressive about making the township a safe place.
“I wish them a healthy and successful career,” he said. “I know they will continue to go out and do what is best for Liberty residents.”
Tisone started on the police force as a night patrolman in 1987, and was promoted to patrol sergeant in 1994.
A few years later, he was promoted to detective sergeant, and in 2004 he was promoted to captain.
Tisone was appointed interim police chief in 2008, and became a full-time police chief a year later.
“It has been a real honor and a privilege for me to have served in Liberty,” he said.
Trustee Jodi Stoyak was one of the trustees who voted to hire him as chief, and said she always trusted him to do the right thing.
“I felt Chief Tisone was always professional and had a sense of humor which made him very pleasant to work with in many respects,” she said.
She said she will miss his intellect and his ability to manage the police department in a respectable way.
Ungaro recalls that throughout the township’s history there was some turbulence with past police chiefs, but said Tisone did a great job.
“He’s a strong person, has good discipline. I think Rich’s leadership shows through the report on our township’s safety,” he said.
At a meeting in late July, Stoyak gave Tisone a plaque of appreciation on behalf of the trustees and staff.
Capt. Toby Meloro, who has served the department since 1993, will start his position as interim police chief Monday.