TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - With so many retirements from the force, these officers now fill much-needed leadership positions.
"I'm really excited. I'm honored to be here with my fellow command officers in this position. I'm just excited to serve the city in a new way," said new Sgt. Michael Kurjan.
With the promotion to sergeant, Kurjan will now help to oversee patrolmen in their duties.
Kurjan, along with 10 other officers, now face greater responsibilities as they adjust to their new roles as sergeants, lieutenants, captain and deputy chief.
More senior officers are retiring from the force each month. This causes a younger police force that lacks some of the skill-set and institutional knowledge of an older generation.
Chief George Kral said there is a crucial need for smart and dedicated leaders.
"We are getting to be very young in our department, and where we have young inexperienced officers, we need very high quality leadership. All of the officers that were promoted today have shown me through their testing and through their behaviors and how they work on the street or wherever they're assigned that they're ready to move on to that advanced supervisory and leadership and management role," said Kral.
