FINDLAY, Ohio — A Findlay city leader is stepping down after more than two decades serving in area law enforcement.
Findlay native Robert Ring has been with the Findlay Police Department since 1996.
Before being named chief of police in 2020, he was a firearms Instructor, also served 20 years on the department's crisis management team, and oversaw the patrol and detective divisions.
Ring said he has enough years of service to retire, and is ready to take on a new role in the private sector.
"I just wanted to be the best officer that I could be, and as I went through the different ranks, things happened at several different times in my career and ultimately I landed in this office," he said. "Not sorry at all, but I never hired in back in '96 saying, 'Someday I'll be chief."
Mayor Christina Muryn said she intends to hire a new chief from within.
And the Civil Service Promotional Examinations will take place in late April to find a qualified candidate.
"Having individuals who have been involved in the community that are used to our department, that understand the culture that we have created, and have built trust among the ranks is extremely important in a new leader," Muryn said "It would be a completely different conversation if we feel like we didn't have the bench strength. But we're fortunate enough that we do, and I'm confident that we're going to have a great candidate, whoever that may be."
Ring says his last day as chief will be on May 13.
And he knows the department he spent nearly three decades serving from will be in good hands with the next generation.
"At this point, I'm just hoping that when people will look back they say that he was a good officer and a good chief and I liked working for him and that'd be it," Ring said. "You don't make it through this job if you don't have people in place to help you get through it. So, just proud and happy that they were all there and just looking forward to what the next chapter holds."
Muryn said Captain James Mathias will serve as interim police chief after Ring leaves office. She expects the new full-time police chief to be announced by early summer.
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