Mt. Eaton finds its police chief in Sands
New Mt. Eaton Police Chief Alan Sands chats with visitors during his recent swearing-in ceremony in the Village Hall on Thursday, July 11.
For much of the past year, the Mt. Eaton Police Department hasn’t had anyone at the helm of its division.
That all changed Thursday, July 11 when Mt. Eaton Mayor Melissa Irwin swore in new Police Chief Alan Sands, and both were excited to have the new relationship take root.
Sands, a 20-year police officer veteran who hails from Wooster, said he hopes to begin building relationships within the community, which he believes is a big part of the requirements of serving as police chief.
“I’m excited to begin this new opportunity,” Sands said.
Sands said when he initially got into working as a peace officer, what drew him to it was the idea of serving others in the community. That is something he knows he will work hard to do as he begins this new role in Mt. Eaton.
“People have to know that you’re there for them,” Sands said. “You can’t stand on one side and have your community on the other. You have to all blend together.”
He said serving as a peace officer was something he has always wanted to do, and he’s grown a lot during his two decades. He said while serving as an officer can have its troubling times, the true joy comes from moments when people are being helped, protected and served, and he said building relationships through schools, businesses and organizations is something he cherishes in this role.
He said he has already begun to craft relationships and said the people of Mt. Eaton have been warm and welcoming.
After not having anyone at the helm of the department since last September, Irwin said the search to fill the role began in earnest in January when she became mayor.
She said it was a long process because council only met once every month and there were plenty of red tape moments along the way that were necessary to fulfill.
However, once they connected with Sands, they felt they had found the perfect fit.
“Once we met Alan, the anxiety shifted from finding a sheriff to getting him in place because I couldn’t get it done fast enough,” Irwin said. “He just seemed like the perfect fit from the moment we started talking to him.”
During the swearing-in ceremony in the Mt. Eaton Village Hall, Irwin had high praise for the aid the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office had given the village during the tenure Mt. Eaton had no chief. She also thanked the Mt. Eaton Village Council members and many others who played a role in securing Sands as the new chief.
“After many hours of conversation, I found him to be an intelligent, compassionate, caring, community-oriented, articulate man with strong leadership, but most of all Chief Sands is a peace officer who takes pride in his service and his country, shows immense solidarity and respect for the law, and dedication to his fellow brothers and sisters,” Irwin said. “I think he’s the perfect choice.”
Irwin then invited Sands to the podium, where she officially swore him in and began a new era in Mt. Eaton.
Sands thanked everyone for their support and vowed to work hard to uphold the law and develop relationships with all of Mt. Eaton’s people.
“I think this town is going to be a fantastic town to work in and serve,” Sands said. “Anything I can do to help better this community, I’m all in for it. When you have a strong community that works together, it’s all good.”