TOLEDO, Ohio — Michael Troendle is now the permanent police chief in Toledo.
Troendle was named interim chief earlier this year after former Chief George Kral retired in January. Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz made the announcement Thursday afternoon.
Troendle has served 29 years with Toledo police. He was assistant chief from July 2018 until he was named interim chief earlier this year.
"I am humbled by the trust and confidence the mayor has in me to lead this great department," Chief Troendle said.
Troendle committed to working with each and every officer to make Toledo a better place. He said his first priority is to "strengthen the trust between the department and the people we serve."
Watch the full news conference below.
Kapszukiewicz said he isn't sure if this is the popular choice, but he believes it's the right one. He said this decision was one he wrestled with more than any other during his time as mayor.
"Chief Troendle was selected on Jan. 9 to be the interim police chief simply because he was next in the chain of command," Kapszukiewicz said. "He's being named the permanent chief today because he earned it.
"Over time and through his performance, he has impressed me as the steady and consistent presence the force needs."
Troendle's annual salary will be $160,000.
Troendle said during his time as interim chief, he was trying to run the department and audition for the permanent position at the same time.
"I'm happy that they see what I've done, what I'm capable of, and they looked with their own eyes and saw what kind of officer I am, what kind of chief I am, what kind of leader I am," Troendle said.
Troendle served as Chief Kral's proxy on numerous boards and community groups. In that role, he was responsible for policies and procedures, personnel, accreditation, budgeting and purchasing, hiring and promoting, trainings and officer wellness.
But Troendle felt limited in his role as the interim. Now that he's been named to the job, he intends to depend on the department's backbone of "old-fashioned policing," he said.
He specifically wants to focus on evidence-based policing: a data-driven approach that decides what programs to use and which to discard based on research. Troendle also emphasized following cases from arrest to sentencing and said he wants to see more officers out of their vehicles and engaging with the community.
"It makes us more efficient, but it does create a barrier a little bit between our community," Troendle said of how officers spending most of their patrols in their vehicles can be detrimental. He said it's about "making our officers understand, that our community is why we're here and that's who we need to be listening to."
In fact, Troendle said building closer ties between police and the community is of his biggest goals, and perhaps one of his biggest challenges. He said it's important that he engages with community groups, and that they also engage with him.
Chief Troendle is a graduate of Tiffin University and the FBI National Academy in Virginia. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves from 1993-1999.
In February, the city narrowed down a list of 29 applicants to 10 finalists. The six finalists from within Toledo police were:
- Michael Troendle, Interim police chief.
- Kevin Braun, Captain, investigations Bureau commander.
- Ronald Frederick, Captain, Intelligence & Special Investigations.
- Robert Furr, Lieutenant.
- Bryan Hollingsworth, Captain, Internal Affairs commander.
- David Mueller, Deputy Chief, Investigative Services Division commander.
The four candidates from outside the department were:
- John Altman, Ohio State Highway Patrol, training, recruitment and diversity commander, Columbus, Ohio.
- Lisa Davis, assistant Cincinnati police chief, Cincinnati, Ohio.
- Constance Slappey, assistant Inkster police chief, Inkster, Mich.
- David Taylor, former assistant D.C. Housing Authority police chief, Washington, D.C.