Falls chief begins update of equipment
By MARLY KOSINSKI Tribune ChronicleFact Box
John Kuivila
WHAT: Newton Falls police chief since Nov. 3, replacing retired Chief Robert Carlson.
SALARY: $58,500.
PREVIOUS JOB: Deputy police chief, Conneaut.
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree, criminal justice administration, Chancellor University, Cleveland; master's degree, criminal justice administration and homeland security, Tiffin University.
FAMILY: Wife, Danielle; two daughters, ages 9 and 7.
NEWTON FALLS - John Kuivila said he did some research on the city before applying to become its newest police chief, and he liked what he saw.
"It was a good fit for what I was looking for. I wanted to come somewhere with some challenges, and I wanted to work somewhere with a city manager form of government," Kuivila said during a recent interview.
A city manager form of government has more structure, and he likes being accountable to one person - in this case, Jack Haney - rather than a group of council members, he said.
"The council members are excellent here. But I like having one boss and not being micro-managed," he said.
Kuivila, 39, originally is from Mentor, but he and his wife, Danielle, and two daughters, ages 7 and 9, live in Madison. They are looking for a house in the area.
His official start date was Nov. 3, and he spent a week training under former Chief Robert Carlson, who retired Nov. 10 after 37 years with the department, including 21 as chief.
Kuivila most recently served as deputy police chief in Conneaut after serving nearly three years as chief in Timberlake - a small Lake County community on the shores of Lake Erie. He has worked in the law enforcement field for almost 20 years as a dispatcher, corrections officer, patrolman, detective and K-9 officer.
Kuivila said he likes the job so far, noting his officers are "a great bunch of guys."
"I believe in teamwork and solving problems as a unit. It's not my department. It's their department. I am here to do what is best for the city, not make friends or enemies. I think everyone should be on the same page when it comes to protecting the residents," he said.
There are 19 officers under his command, including four full-timers.
The two most important things he thought needed addressed when he came on board were replacing the cruiser fleet and updating the department's computer system. Other areas on his checklist were the city jail and the evidence room.
Kuivila wasted no time before addressing the department's needs. He ordered five new patrol cars, which he said will save money on repairs.
The new cars will be outfitted with new equipment at no extra expense to taxpayers. He said the department no longer has take-home cars except for himself and the K-9 officer, who has a specially equipped cruiser.
He closed the city jail on Nov. 7 because it would have been too costly to make the needed repairs to bring the facility into compliance with state regulations. The jail is being used as a six-hour holding facility while prisoners are awaiting transport to the county jail or waiting for a court hearing, he said.
He has implemented a new computer-aided dispatching system and records management system that is compliant with the Ohio Incident-Based Reporting System and the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System. Kuivila said the records management system lets dispatchers track officers' activities and allows the department to track crime trends.
Kuivila said he would like to hire a few more part-time officers and bump some current part-timers into full-time officers. There are seven full-time positions budgeted, and he would like to make one of them a public information officer to improve communication with the media, he said.
"I am excited about the opportunities this job will offer, and I look forward to serving the residents of Newton Falls," Kuivila said.
|
EducateNF
|
|
|---|---|
|
12-29-08 9:05 PM
|
Just makes me wonder where all the money to do all of the upgrades is coming from. The city has been cashed strapped for two years and they are raising our utility rates to pay for pay increases and rising costs. Don't do anything gradually or try to get grants to cover the costs. The one thing I do agree with is closing the jail. It has not been up to code for a long time.
|
|
bruskii
|
|
|
12-29-08 9:28 AM
|
The two most important things he thought needed addressed when he came on board were replacing the cruiser fleet and updating the department's computer system. Other areas on his checklist were the city jail and the evidence room. lol. headliners each one of them
|
|
escaped
|
|
|
12-29-08 6:43 AM
|
He won't last in the Falls... he's too professional...
|
