MANSFIELD — New Mansfield police Chief Jason Bammann will take the official oath of office on Friday at 9 a.m. in Mansfield City Council Chambers located on the third floor of the Municipal Building.
MANSFIELD — The art world’s loss was the Mansfield Police Department’s gain.
Jason Bammann graduated from Madison Comprehensive High School in 1992 and received an art scholarship to attend Ashland University.
“I planned on getting into graphic arts and design,” the 50-year-old law enforcement officer told Richland Source on Monday afternoon. “At the last minute, I decided I didn’t want to sit behind a desk.”
Fast forward 32 years and Bammann now has a new desk to sit behind — the chief’s desk at the Mansfield Police Department.
Mayor Jodie Perry made it official on Monday afternoon when she announced she was promoting Bammann, the assistant chief since 2021, to lead the department, filling a vacancy created with the ascension of former Chief Keith Porch to safety service director.
“Chief Bammann is a fantastic leader who will continue to take the Mansfield Police Department into the future with strong respect and confidence,” Perry said in an emailed press release.
“I am excited for this next chapter and eager to work with him to continue our focus on improving safety.”
Public safety has been the focus of Bammann’s life since he decided against art school and opted for law enforcement. He followed in the footsteps of his father, Sgt. Mike Bammann, who retired after his own 35-year career with the MPD.
“I grew up around it. I was always rolling around with it, with my father at the MPD,” said Bammann, who has been married to his wife, Stephanie, since 1996. They have two grown children, including son, Blake, who became the third generation of Bammanns to be Mansfield police officers in August 2021.
“Back in the 90s, getting into the law enforcement field was competitive. I started taking tests and eventually enrolled at North Central State College to get bonus points on (department) exams.
“That led me to put myself through the police academy and I started my career as a park ranger at Charles Mill Lake Park. Dan Mager hired me out there so shout out to him,” Bammann said.
Two years later, the MPD came calling with an opening and Bammann joined the force in August 1999.
“Of course, this is where I always wanted to be. This is home,” he said.
He served in the community services bureau on afternoons and nights, working patrol shifts until he was promoted to sergeant in 2014.
“I really didn’t have any ambitions of getting into supervision. But, like anything else, sometimes you get stagnant. I decided I could either sit around and be a bump on a log or I can do something different,” Bammann said.’
He took the advancement exam and was promoted, which prompted Bammann to enroll at Ashland University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
“That was a personal goal of mine I always wanted to achieve,” the new chief said. “Once I got done, I enrolled at Tiffin University and got my master’s degree in justice administration.”
“The pieces started falling into place and I guess I am kind of shocked we are sitting where we are today,” he said with a laugh.
Bammann was promoted to lieutenant in February 2018 and was assigned to the administrative section. There he began working with grants, supervised the 911 Communications Center and the drone unit. He also served as the department’s incident commander.
In December of 2019, Bammann was re-assigned as the METRICH Task Force before being promoted to assistant chief in June 2021, helping to oversee the entire agency, including dispatch and records.
“I am honored to have been chosen as the next chief. This department and community are near and dear to my heart. I want to thank Mayor Perry for placing her trust in me. I would not be were I am if it were not for the amazing staff in all sections of the division,” he said.
“Their dedication to our community is unsurpassable. I am excited for the future of the Division of Police and the City of Mansfield.”
He said Porcch, who moved up to the ninth floor in his new role, left the MPD in great shape.
“Keith Porch left me with the perfect situation. The department’s going in the right direction. He’s got us all back up with equipment. I feel like he got kind of shortchanged because he’s never going to get to reap the fruits of his labor.
“So I’m lucky in that aspect. Really, I don’t have anything major that I even plan on changing. Coming into these roles, I think the worst thing you can do is tip the place upside down, but there’s really no reason to, anyway,” Bammann said.
“(Porch) and I have worked together. It’s nothing brand new to me. It’s just the buck stops with me now. I can’t blame it on him anymore,” he said.
But what about not wanting to sit behind a desk?
“It’s a young man’s game. I’m older now. I like the desk,” he said with a laugh.