COVINGTON — Tom Schonecker was just looking for a steady paycheck when he joined the Covington Police Department in 1970.

        The job turned into a 31-year law enforcement career, and on Monday, the City Commission made Lt. Col. Schonecker the department's next chief. He succeeds Al Bosse, who is retiring Sunday after 34 years on Covington's force, including the last six as chief.

        “You've bestowed upon me a great honor,” Lt. Col. Schonecker said of his new position. “I will not disappoint you as chief.”

        Lt. Col. Schonecker, 55, of Erlanger, has been an assistant chief since 1999. He is the operations commander who oversees the patrol and crime bureaus, the crime suppression unit and the impound lot. He was chosen over Lt. Col. Jim Liles.

        “I've done just about everything the police department has to offer,” Lt. Col. Schonecker said.

        With his selection, Covington becomes something of a cradle of chiefs. Steve Schmidt became Fort Thomas chief in 1999, and Bill Dorsey has been Kenton County's top cop for nine months.

        “He'll do fine,” Chief Dorsey said. “I think the biggest asset is the respect he has in the law enforcement community.”

        But law enforcement was not in Lt. Col. Schonecker's plans when he left the Navy in late 1969 after four years' service as a jet mechanic.

        “More or less, I was looking for a job,” he said. “I was expecting to go work in the aircraft industry.”

        Instead, Lt. Col. Schonecker, who grew up in West Covington and Latonia, listened to his friend, retired Assistant Chief Bill Dometrich.

        “He was always singing the praises of the police department,” Lt. Col. Schonecker said. “I admired him. From day one, I thought, “This is pretty nice. It seemed like I found my niche.”

        Lt. Col. Schonecker said improvements in professional standards and technology are the biggest changes he's seen in 31 years. He said former Chief Lyle Schwartz is largely responsible for what the 111-officer department looks like now.

        “When I came on, I did not go to the police academy (in Richmond); there was no police academy,” Lt. Col. Schonecker said. “When I came in, we didn't have portable radios, no computers. Our reports were taken by phone; we had call boxes.”

        The new chief points to his increasing the use of police dogs within the department as something for which he is proud.

        “It was more of a liability (in the '70s),” Lt. Col. Schonecker said of police dogs. “Now, we do demonstrations in schools. Now, it's a public relations tool.”

        Chief Bosse said he doesn't have any particular retirement plans. He leaves quite a legacy.

        During Chief Bosse's tenure, Covington promoted its first African-American officers to the detective and internal affairs units. He oversaw renovations at police headquarters and updated the department's fleet of vehicles, including the purchase of a new SWAT van.

        Major crimes in Northern Kentucky's largest city fell in 2000 to their lowest level in six years. Felonies fell 32.89 percent over six years, to 3,118 in 2000.

        Covington Mayor Butch Callery has said the new chief would have to determine whether two assistant police chiefs are still needed. But Lt. Col. Schonecker would not spell out plans for his 111 officers, Northern Kentucky's largest police department — he said he would do that next week.

        While he answers to City Commission, Lt. Col. Schonecker also believes it's the officers and residents who will determine his effectiveness.

        “You get your authority from above,” Lt. Col. Schonecker said. “You get your power from below.”

        Jim Hannah contributed to this report.
       

Feds say city police need better policies
Mom's questions remain after police officer's trial
Educators make funding case
Attack relief increases
Crop-dusters rare in SW Ohio
Four Muslims still in custody
Immigrants join citizens in taking stand against terror
A lesson from the master
School move was surprise, parents say
'Study Circles' project under way
Tristate A.M. Report
Year later, few using pill to abort
PULFER: A better start
Plan for Monroe school modified
School traffic unsnarled
Two counts against father dropped
United Way stays on pace
Child support improvements coming
Covington gets new top cop
Kentucky News Briefs
School's cool now
Sewer project begins
WKU president lends hand