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Nagucki’s First Month As Chief Has Been A Good One
By: Susan Tebben | The Athens Messenger
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Acting Glouster Police Chief Ryan Nagucki has only spent a month as head of the department, but said positive strides are being made within the office.
"We've made a lot of improvements," Nagucki told The Athens Messenger.
Nagucki was appointed as acting chief by Mayor Miles Wolf at the end of May. He had served as a part-time officer for the department, but when Chief Lucas Mace was arrested and put on administrative leave, Nagucki stepped in to fill the role.
"I feel like I've got a better relationship with the (officers) now," Nagucki said.
One focus of the new administration, including Sgt. Kevin Lemon, was to restructure the evidence rooms so it is more organized. Nagucki said he's been happy to see the rooms come together.
"We just had so much stuff that needed taken care of," Nagucki said. "Sgt. Lemon has done a great job."
Even though the Athens County Sheriff's Office said they would be helping work night shift patrols in the area, Nagucki said patrols have been out day and night and have been doing a great job.
"We have our plan in place, we have officers in day or night," Nagucki said. "The sheriff's office has helped us out but we have a lot more officers out on the street now."
The acting chief has had to split his time between his full-time job as a corrections officer at the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail and at the police department, but says he is still up to the challenge.
"It is challenging, there's not a lot of spare time," Nagucki said, but said he doesn't mind doing the extra work when the public has been so receptive.
"I've had a lot of people come up and congratulate me, which is a good feeling," he said.
There are no plans as of yet to change the arrangement in Glouster. Wolf said an administrative hearing will be held "soon" to decide whether Mace will be terminated or remain on administrative leave. Wolf said he was not making the date of the administrative hearing public.
Mace was placed on leave after being arrested on charges of theft in office and obstructing justice. He is awaiting trial on the charges in Athens County Common Pleas Court, where he was arraigned and pleaded innocent to the charges on July 2.