Monday, June 05, 2000
27 years is enough for chief
By Walt Schaefer
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MONTGOMERY — A man who knew every nook and cranny of this community, who knew the names of most of Montgomery's long-time residents, will take off his badge July 7.
Police Chief Don McGlothlin, 50, said he will spend more time with his wife, Paula, and sons Ben, 13, and Daniel, 10.
Then, “at the end of the summer, I'll start looking for other employment. I want to do something different, but, you know, I really don't know what that's going to be yet.”
His departure will leave a gap; he spent 27 years on the force.
“Don has so much experience, and you just can't replace that. When he leaves, that experience is gone forever,” said Officer Paul Collins, who worked with Chief McGlothlin his entire 20-year career. “Not only will Montgomery miss Don, he'll miss Montgomery. He says he is ready to go, but I guarantee you he'll miss this place.”
City Manager Cheryl Hilvert said she will pick Chief McGlothlin's successor with an outside consultant's help.
Tornado sticks out
The search will be launched soon, and it will be open to Montgomery officers as well as others.
“The biggest event this department faced during my tenure as chief was the (April 1999) tornado that claimed four lives and cost our community millions of dollars in damage,” Chief McGlothlin said.
“But I have seen the community change ... a gradual change.”
Montgomery's population has not increased significantly, but everything around it has grown.
“If you asked me back when I started about Mason or Union Township, I'd have said, "Where?'
“In 1980, we took about 150 accident reports. Last year we took about 1,000. There were 12 officers and one clerk when I became chief in 1991. We have 20 officers and three civilian personnel today.”
Chief McGlothlin, a graduate of North College Hill High School, was a Marine machinegunner in Vietnam.
"That would be fun'
“When I came back, I saw an ad for a police officer's exam in the paper and I said to myself, "I think that would be fun.' I've been here ever since.”
He holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Cincinnati. The chief joined the force as a probationary patrol officer in 1974, was promoted to sergeant in 1980 and to lieutenant in 1986. He succeeded Chief Charles Sellars, who retired in 1991.
Chief McGlothlin wore two hats from 1993 to 1998.
In 1993, the city created its own fire department, and Chief McGlothlin was Montgomery's first fire chief.
“He had taken basic firefighters training but was more the administrative head of the new department,” current Fire Chief Paul Wright said.
“His knowledge is everything here — that is so hard to replace,” Chief Wright said. “It's a big loss.”
Chief McGlothlin said he decided to depart after the July 4 parade he has led in a police cruiser for 26 years,
“It's a ritual, and I want to do it one last time,” he said.
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