CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Chillicothe Police Chief Ron Meyers is retiring after 30 years of service to the community he has spent a career protecting, the Chillicothe Gazette reported Oct. 27. Meyers, who has led the department as chief since 2020, is stepping away as Captain Micheal Short prepares to be promoted to chief once the retirement takes effect.
Meyers came to the Chillicothe Police Department after serving his country in the U.S. Marine Corps, joining the department as a road patrol officer, the Chillicothe Gazette reported. He worked his way up through the ranks over three decades, serving as a sergeant and as a captain before he was appointed chief in 2020.
Looking back on that career, Meyers told the Chillicothe Gazette that some of his favorite memories came from working on the streets, where he could connect with the community and watch Chillicothe families grow. “The interaction with the community will always be special in my heart,” Meyers told the Chillicothe Gazette.
Meyers told the Chillicothe Gazette he knew this day was coming after he joined a state retirement program that carried a strict retirement deadline, though he did not expect at the time that he would finish his career as chief. He told the Gazette he might have joined the program a couple of years later if he had known, giving himself a little more time on the department. “It’s very surreal,” Meyers told the Chillicothe Gazette.
Asked by the Chillicothe Gazette what he is looking forward to in retirement, Meyers answered with one word: “Travel.” He told the Gazette that time off will let him take vacations and see more of the world without carrying the daily stress that law enforcement officers bring with them every day. Retirement will not take him out of Chillicothe life, however — Meyers told the Chillicothe Gazette he still plans to remain an active member of the community.
The department is handling this leadership change differently than in the past, the Chillicothe Gazette reported. Previously, a new chief would not be chosen until the previous chief had already retired, but this time interested captains took the needed tests before Meyers retires, giving Short time to learn directly from his predecessor. Meyers previously helped train Short when Short started on the department and has served as his superior for many years.
Meyers offered a clear endorsement of his successor. “I have full confidence he’ll do a great job,” Meyers said of Short, according to the Chillicothe Gazette. Short, for his part, told the Chillicothe Gazette, “I feel that I am prepared, ready and excited for this next page in my book.” For Chillicothe residents, the transition means a familiar department faces a new chapter — one led by an officer trained inside it, taking over from a chief whose 30 years in uniform spanned patrol, command and, finally, the top job.
Photo: Rdikeman, CC BY-SA