New Phila’s first female police chief relishes new role
Tessa Pahovey, New Philadelphia’s first female police chief, is settling into her new role.
New Philadelphia Police Chief Tessa Pahovey wanted to be a police officer from the time she was a child, a dream she said was stoked by watching the TV shows, “Rescue 9-1-1” and “Law and Order: SVU.”
Growing up, whether it was school work or playing on the basketball team, Pahovey said she always felt driven to succeed. “My parents never pressured me; I just kind of had an innate drive to excel.”
That drive is likely what allowed the Tusky Valley graduate to complete a master’s degree in criminal justice while also undergoing training at the police academy and holding a part-time job at GNC. Pahovey said she earned the advanced degree because she originally wanted to join the FBI and thought she would need it.
“But as I got into local law enforcement, I liked it much more because you can build relationships with the community,” she said. “So the dream changed, but clearly it has worked out for me.”
Pahovey also credits her father Gary as the biggest influence in her life. “He was a really three-sport athlete when he went to school at Fairless, and he coached me in sports. He is my role model. He has worked for Nickles Bakery my whole life and could have retired, but he still hasn’t.”
First 100 days
Pahovey just wrapped up her first 100 days as police chief in October and already can point to several accomplishments, the most visible of which is the redesign of the city’s police cruisers.
“We’ve had the same design for probably 10 years now, and we’ve gotten some backlash from the community about the way they look,” Pahovey said. “Residents said it was hard to recognize the cars as being police cruisers, mostly because of the ghost lettering.”
Ghost graphic makes lettering and graphics on police cars highly reflective at night but practically invisible during the day. The new graphics are reflective at all times. Two cruisers feature the new design, and Pahovey hopes to redo three more cruisers next year, which also include heavy-duty front bumper grills that emit the siren sound. “But everything comes down to money,” she said.
Pahovey said taking over as chief and learning how much things actually cost was eye-opening for her. “We have to spend a lot of money just on upkeep,” she said.
As an example, she said the cost of cruiser lights is about $40,000, and the cost of outfitting a cruiser with the necessary equipment runs around $18,000.
“A new cruiser itself, without equipment, is around $65,000,” she said. “It’s amazing. So I’m working on obtaining grants.”
With the help of others in the department, Pahovey was recently able to secure funding for new dashboard cameras and hopes to outfit all officers with bodycams soon.
First female chief in the city
Pahovey said she is honored to be the first female police chief in the city’s history. She also said women have been historically underrepresented in law enforcement.
Statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice, Statista and other sources show women represent 16.8% of police officers nationally, and only about 8% have risen to the level of chief of police.
“Even in sheriff’s departments there are only female sheriffs in the state of Ohio,” she said. “I’m hoping it sets an example to other women to pursue law-enforcement careers because, in my opinion, this is the greatest job in the world and I don’t know why anyone does anything else.”
Pahovey said law enforcement here has treated her well. “I’ve had great co-workers my entire career, and I’ve never felt like I was being treated differently by my co-workers or the public because I’m a woman. Obviously, males and females think differently and do things differently, but at the end of the day, we all get the job done,” she said.
Recognizing heroics
Pahovey believes it is important to recognize police officers who go beyond the call of duty in dire situations. She was happy to work with Mayor Joel Day to commend officer Mark Sadolsky, who talked two children into jumping off the roof of a burning building and into his arms in July.
She also was happy to see the city recognize officers Tristen Lambert and Andrew Boyd, who rescued a woman from an apartment fire in April.
What if she’d never become a police officer?
Pahovey said, “If I could have gone pro in basketball, I would have done it. I still love basketball, but I also really love this job. Where else can you maybe get to drive your car 100 mph? But I love even the little things. I can’t tell you the joy I feel solving a simple theft of someone’s porch ornament because it means something to them.”
Does Pahovey miss being a police officer? “I do miss it a little, and I’m still adjusting to a more administrative position,” she said. “I’ll still show up on calls sometimes to support my officers and just because I miss it.”
While Pahovey described her first 100 days as a whirlwind, she is settling in and planning for the future of the department.
“There’s a reason we’re one of the safest cities, and I’d like to maintain that. I have a five-year plan in my mind of how I want to grow the department, but it’s not just up to me. I would like to see our department expand in terms of personnel and in skill development through hands-on training. That’s big on my list,” Pahovey said.
For the former Mount Union basketball starter and team leader in free throws, the drive is there to achieve whatever goals she sets.