Graduated from Gannon University in May 1989 with a bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice.

Graduated in May of 1990 from Mercyhurst College (was not a university at the time) Police Academy.

I was hired as a police patrolman in the City of Corry in June of 1990.  I was promoted to Corporal in March of 1997.  I was promoted to Lieutenant in 2002.  I was promoted to Chief of Police in October 2011.  I retired in October of 2020 after over 30 years, as a police officer in the City of Corry.  

I joined the Northwester Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association in January of 2012.  The Northwester Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association covers the 14 counties of Northwestern Pennsylvania.  I have held the positions of Third Vice President, Second Vice President, First Vice President, President and Chairman of the Executive Board.  I am currently serving on the executive board.  

I was hired in October 2020 as the Deputy Director of Police and Security for the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, PA.  I am in charge of security at the LECOM Medical Center and Behavioral Health Pavilion, which in the largest in-patient behavioral health hospital in Northwestern Pennsylvania.  They also offer in-patient DETOX services.  

With Lori Palisin, we co-founded the Rural Erie County Domestic Violence Task force.  The first meeting was in February of 2014? (not sure on the date).  We founded the rural Erie County Domestic Violence Task Force as a way of educating the rural area of services that were available to victims of domestic violence, identify barriers to access the services and come up with solutions as a group of professionals and citizens, working together addressing Domestic Violence.  Through the task force, Safe Journey was able to receive a federal grant to assist victims of domestic violence.  With the grant, the Purple One program was born.  I was one of the presenters for the Purple One Program from the beginning until into 2021 when my job duties at LECOM did not give me time to keep presenting.  

Through the years, I was involved with several programs with Erie County, Safe Journey and the City of Corry Police Department.  The Star Program, (1999) where a Corry Police Officer was stationed at Corry Memorial Hospital to address Domestic Violence when victims came into the emergency room for treatment.  When a Domestic Violence Victim arrived, we would call Safe Journey to coordinate services with them.  Through the Star Program, Erie County sent me to the Domestic Violence National Conference for training.  The City of Corry Police, along with Safe Journey through a grant Safe Journey was awarded, had Domestic Violence Advocates ride along with officers in the patrol car to address Domestic Violence as a team. (mid 2000s) I was active in both programs and the staff at Safe Journey and I were able to get to know each other and talk about obstacles victims of domestic violence faced.  Once I became Chief of Police, Lori Palisin reached out to me to talk about Domestic Violence and what more could be done.  At the time she asked if I would support the Walk a Mile in her Shoes, which Safe Journey was going to present at the Corry Homecoming Parade.  That is when we started about Domestic Violence in Rural Erie County and we both decided we could not wait for others in the county to help, we have to do it ourselves and address the problem in our rural communities.  The first Rural Erie County Domestic Violence Masquerade Ball took place in 2019 as a way to unmask Domestic Violence in our community and as a fund raiser for Safe Journey.  

Today through my position at LECOM, working at the LECOM Medical Center and Behavioral Health Pavilion, I see and understand better the mental health side and substance abuse side of domestic violence.  I have worked with the emergency room staff and the emergency room behavioral health staff to help them recognize the sings of domestic violence, even though the victims may not have physical injury.  I have pointed out to them the self-blame for the domestic violence that is taking place and explain what can be done and where to refer the victims.  I have provided training to the Police and Security officers working at the hospital on how to spot domestic violence and how to assist the victim, how to refer the victim and how they can assist the medical personnel treating the victims of domestic violence.  

As was my by-line on all communications when I was Chief of Police in the City of Corry, this applies to my job as a police officer and it also applies to those involved and those we hope become involved in addressing Domestic Violence in our communities; 

“Great Things Can Happen When We All Work Together”.