YPD officers retire

May 19, 2018 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

City police officers Russell “Rusty” Davis and John Aeppli can both testify about the power of time to change things.

The pair retired from the department Friday, with Davis serving for 24 years and Aeppli for 25 years. Both said the biggest changes they have seen in law enforcement has been equipment and technology.

Davis, who patrolled beats on the East and South sides, said when he started on the department, officers used carbon paper to do their reports, and holes in the floorboards in their cruisers were covered with stop signs.

Now, Davis said they generally have vehicles in better shape to take on the road and they use computers for reports.

Aeppli said another big change he has seen since he started is in the city itself. People, he said, are taking better care of their homes and businesses now, he said.

“Everybody’s keeping up what they got,” said Aeppli, who has spent the last several years assigned to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the department.

Both are also military veterans. Davis served in the Marines and Aeppli in the Army.

Davis said he worked several service jobs before taking the civil-service test to become a police officer because he wanted a change.

“I just wanted a change of pace, and I like working with people,” Davis said.

Being a police officer was a lifelong dream, Aeppli said.

“I just always enjoyed this type of work,” Aeppli said. “I thought about since I was a kid.”

Davis is moving to Florida, while Aeppli said he will be moving to Pennsylvania.