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VanArsdale was promoted from police chief to public safety director effective Jan. 4, 2015.
The role of public safety director was part of a reorganization announced in 2014 of the city’s public safety department. In the role, VanArsdale oversaw the Divisions of Police and Fire. His annual salary was set at $98,576 and he reported to Adkins.
VanArsdale said he was thankful for the opportunity to be public safety director.
"This allowed me to not only work with our police and fire divisions, but also get involved in other city projects such as the creation of Ohio's first Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area and the Independence Day Celebration," he said.
"The public safety divisions are in good hands," he added. "Police Chief (Rodney) Muterspaw has done an excellent job in communicating and engaging his officers and the community. Fire Chief (Paul) Lolli has made great improvements in the Fire Division. He along with the new leadership of the Fire Collective Bargaining group have been able to create a new Firefighter/EMT position and we have been awarded a SAFER grant that will allow us to bring on 12 new firefighters."
“Both chiefs are fortunate to have the support of City Manager Adkins, and with his guidance I think things will continue to improve in Middletown,” VanArsdale said.
After Tuesday’s meeting, Adkins declined to comment further on VanArsdale’s retirement and the future of the public safety director position.
In January, Adkins reminded city council that VanArsdale would retire at some point.
“At some point, David VanArsdale is going to decide he wants to go kayaking, biking or be a park ranger, full-time. At some point, he’s going to leave,” Adkins told city council in January. “He’s already fully retired from the police department, and I know he’s enjoying the things we’re doing in public safety, to restructure that. But he’s also said at some point he’s going to ride a bike in a park somewhere and have fun.”
At the time, Adkins also predicted he would discontinue the position of public safety director.
“At some point, we will probably, once we re-evaluate public safety, we’ve got it to where we want it to be, we’ve made the changes we want to make, we will probably discontinue that public safety position,” Adkins previously said. “Again, the need for that will come and go.”
VanArsdale told the Journal-News he plans to enjoy his retirement.
“I do plan on biking and kayaking the Miami River Corridor,” he said. “My career with Middletown has been something that I thoroughly enjoyed. My time as police chief was a great experience, however, I believe my favorite times were when I was working the midnight shift on the street.”
VanArsdale became the city’s police chief in 2011, following the retirement of former chief Greg Schwarber.
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