VIENNA — A months-long interview process has come to a head, concluding with the township having its new police chief and sergeant.

At Tuesday’s special meeting, trustees approved hiring Daniel Adkins as the township’s next police chief, following their need for one after Brian Darbey, who filled in after Bob Ludt’s resignation in 2024, expressed plans to retire later this year.

Adkins, a 34-year veteran, served his last shift with the Niles Police Department Jan. 8, beginning his career in Weathersfield in 1992 and joining Niles seven years later as the department’s first-ever K-9 unit, according to a Niles Police Department social media post.

Adkins was named Ohio’s Crisis Intervention Team Officer of the Year by the Ohio Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness in 2018 for his role in talking a suicidal man down from a radio tower in December 2017.

Adkins is also an instructor at the Youngstown State University Police Academy.

Trustees also approved hiring Kyle Pettus as a sergeant. Pettus is a part-time Wakeman Police Department officer, according to Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy records.

Trustee Phil Pegg, who serves as the police department’s trustee liaison, said he interviewed 14 candidates and narrowed it down to three finalists, with interviews kicking off in late May.

“One of the things that we did was we also asked, because we were interviewing initially for the chief, if anyone would also be interested, either in the sergeant’s position, or as a road officer’s position,” Pegg said. “All of the positions are part-time to start.”

Pegg said they have one person interested in the road officer’s position, but he doesn’t plan on interviewing for it until the week of July 6.

As for the process of preparing Adkins and Pettus, Pegg said both individuals are starting with the department on Monday, noting they have to complete routine activities, such as paperwork, to begin.

“Basically, the first day is filling out paperwork and familiarizing themselves with our office. Brian’s going to take them through the offices, to show them our evidence room, our interview rooms,” Pegg said. “He’s going to show them our records, how all that works; he’s going to familiarize them with Lexipol. We have Lexipol and other computer programs.”

The officers will then tour the township together and learn the roads, Pegg said.

With Darbey scheduled to wrap up his time with the department in September, Pegg said their goal is to have all the new officers in place by the end of August.

He said they’re planning some sort of community event for residents to familiarize themselves with the new officers, which he expects to happen in September, but no dates are set.

“When I’m speaking, I’m kind of speaking somewhat just for me, just because I’m the liaison with the police department,” Pegg said. “I kind of make the plans, but then I will run it by the other two trustees before it’s instituted.”

Pegg said the township had some fantastic candidates, noting that some were highly qualified, while others backed off because of pay rates or because they were making a lot more at their current positions.

“These are still people, these are some very, very good people,” Pegg said, noting Adkins’s history with Niles PD and desire for flexibility while staying active.

“Both he and Sgt. Pettus, both of them have written, and they participate in the grant processes — they’re both grant writers,” Pegg said. “There are some real positives with these people, and Pettus does some training as well.”

“In the past, we’ve had to rely on other departments and use their trainers; we’re not going to need to do that, with the people that we’ve hired,” he added.