Niehus Chosen As Chardon Chief
Niehus, whose father, Bill, was a former Chardon police chief, will begin July 7
Born, raised and educated in Chardon, Scott Niehus will now take over as police chief and follow in his father’s footsteps.
Niehus, a lieutenant with the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office, will be chosen as the city’s eighth police chief, according to a news release sent out by Randy Sharpe, the city manager.
He will start his term July 7 and replace Tim McKenna, who will retire July 6 after serving as chief for 10 years.
Niehus’s father, William E. Niehus, served as the city’s third police chief from 1975 to 1986, according to the news release.
Sharpe announced his appointment Friday morning.
“I am pleased that the selection process has successfully concluded with the appointment of Scott Niehus as Chardon’s new police chief. We had a field of exceptional candidates for the position, which made the selection a very difficult decision.”
The manager said Niehus was an “outstanding” choice because he met the profile of what citizens in the community were looking for in a new police chief.
“The experience, skill set and depth of knowledge that Chief Niehus brings home to Chardon are a good fit for the department and will be a tremendous asset for the city,” he added.
Additionally, Sharpe credited McKenna for serving and providing “outstanding” leadership. McKenna’s law enforcement career spans more than three decades, he said.
“On a daily basis, Chief McKenna embodied the core values of the police department: Pride, integrity and service.”
Sharpe said he also expressed his gratitude to the advisory citizen panel and the Ohio Associations of the Chiefs of Police for their help in the selection process.
“And, finally, I wish to thank everyone throughout the city who provided me with their sincere and heartfelt opinions in response to the call for input with this most important search process,” he added.
Niehus, who has been with the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office since 1987, began his career as a patrol deputy, then worked with the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission. That organization investigated auto theft and narcotics activities in the state, according to the sheriff’s office website.
Additionally, he helped re-establish a detective bureau at the sheriff’s office. In 1994, he was promoted to sergeant and has served as a supervisor in various capacities at the sheriff’s office. Currently, he manages both the Law Enforcement Division and the Detective Bureau. His education consists of both basic and advanced police executive development training programs at Penn State University and also the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy.
In addition to his father serving as police chief, other relatives serve the public, according to the sheriff’s office. His father-in-law is a retired Cleveland Fire Department fireman and both his brother and two brothers-in-law are firefighters.
Earlier this month, the city of Aurora was looking for a replacement for retiring police chief Seth Riewaldt, who was slated to retire July 1. Niehus was one of the nine finalists for the position, according to the Aurora Advocate website.
Sheriff Dan McClelland gave his thoughts on Niehus, calling him a “tremendous” leader in the sheriff’s office.
After Niehus was hired in the late 1980s, he wound up on McClelland’s platoon.
McClelland, a sergeant at the time, took to the young deputy and developed a friendship that spanned decades.
“I stand very proud of the men and women who work at the sheriff’s office,” the sheriff said. “It’s a tribute to all of them that a lieutenant at the sheriff’s office has the qualifications to be chosen as the police chief of Chardon.”
What is the city getting?
“They’re going to get a leader. They’re going to get a police chief who understands our community and their needs, and someone they are proud to call their chief,” he added.
The sheriff said Niehus operates with a philosophy of helping others, whether it be via assistance to another agency or to a stranded motorist.
As an investigator, Niehus had “tremendous” attention to detail and persevered in his work.
“He has tremendous attention to detail,” McClelland added. “He understands while some cases can be solved quite quickly, others may take years to bring to a conclusion.
“Scott has the ability to manage the things that need to be done today with the tasks that still needs work.”
Although Niehus’s absence will cause a loss, McClelland said the sheriff’s office will make adjustments.
Pausing, he reflected on the fact Niehus’s father was police chief decades earlier.
“Scott talked to me about applying for the job,” he added. “I think his dad’s gonna be so proud when he finds out the news.
“He’s going to be a great fit. Scott has a tremendous reputation not just in the law enforcement community, but in the community as a whole,” McClelland said.
