LEXINGTON — It didn’t take Troy Weaver long to realize his boyhood dream of police work was the right career path.
“I kind of always thought I wanted to do it. Right out of high school, I got into some construction work and landscaping. I just knew after about a year it wasn’t for me,” Weaver said Thursday afternoon.
“So I just kind of pursued what had I dreamed about and went with it,” the 46-year-old he said.
Those dreams came into ultimate fruition as Weaver was sworn in Thursday as the new Village of Lexington police chief, taking over the reins of a department he joined as an officer in 1999.
The 1995 Ontario High School graduate was sworn in by Mayor Brian White during a brief ceremony at the village hall.
Weaver replaces Brett Pauley, who retired Thursday after 31 years with the LPD, including 20 as chief.
“(Becoming chief) means a lot,” said Weaver, who came became a captain in 2011.
“I appreciate everybody being here. I appreciate the support over the years. This is an exciting time for myself and my wife, my two boys and my daughter,” said Weaver, who graduated from the North Central State College police academy.
Weaver, who has been second in command for Pauley as captain, said he had no plans to make immediate changes in the department.
“When I began interviewing for the job, they asked me what changes I would make in the department. Honestly, there is not a lot to change.
“The chief that hired in 1999 ran a pretty right ship. And with Chief Pauley … they have always had the department when it needed to be. (So) I don’t have a lot of concerns and stuff like that,” Weaver said.
White said he conducted internal interviews to select his new chief, a choice approved by village council.
“Two things stood out (about Weaver),” the mayor said.
“One is his experience here. He’s had 24 years. In a small department, you get to experience everything. So he knows all the pieces that if he came from a big department to a smaller one, he might not know.
“Number two is his leadership skills. He was second in command. When Chief Pauley was gone, he was running the show and he showed that he could do that,” the mayor said.
The Lexington department currently has 10 full-time sworn officers in a village of just under 5,000 residents.
White and his new chief are trying to recruit two more, a tough task during a time when many law enforcement departments are seeking new officers.
“It is extremely difficult,” White said. “I was at the Ohio Mayors’ Conference two weeks ago down in Columbus. That was the number one conversation all the mayors had. Police and fire are the toughest challenge that every municipality has.
“We’re advertising for two. We’ve got a little bit of interest, but it’s difficult. It’s difficult,” the mayor said.
Weaver echoed the mayor’s thoughts.
“It’s difficult. I think we just have to keep looking. We want to hire the best possible, but it’s very hard right now to compete with everyone else,” Weaver said.
“Everybody else is in the same boat. It’s just hard to get officers. It’s not a career path that a lot of people are taking anymore.
“But you just have to plug away and try to hire the best that you can hire,” Weaver said.
