Chief:
You had big goals when you came home to your native Ohio Valley 13 years ago, and the majority of those objectives involved helping evolve the Wheeling Police Department into a post-9/11 law enforcement agency with a you-never-know mindset. You have had your critics and detractors, and the department experienced a great amount of turnover, but the data and the recognition do not lie.
Earlier this year, in fact, you released a set of crime stats that indicated the city of Wheeling was safer in 2024 than it has been for more than a decade as your officers have battled against the realities connected to the opiate/methamphetamine drug epidemic and the resulting trend of homelessness in Wheeling and across the country.
For years, Wheeling woke up to count the overdosed dead, but that’s changed, Thank the Lord, and that’s because you and your men and women refused to quit.
Your new Crisis Response Unit has addressed the issues and solved a lot of problems, and soon we will see Wheeling Police officers fight crime on the REELZ TV show “On Patrol Live” – a program that tracks LEOs as they protect and serve in their respective communities. Since that news broke here on LEDE News this past Thursday, you – again – have had your critics and your detractors, but your results speak far louder than the chirps from the cheap seats.
Congratulations to you, your officers, and your staff, and thank you.
Sincerely,
The Taxpayers
