Sgt. Robert Yough became Ford City’s first full-time police officer since 2015. The decision was approved by Council at last night’s monthly public meeting.
Ford City Council voted to promote one of its police officers to full-time status.
Sergeant Robert Yough has been employed on Ford City’s police force on a part-time basis since being hired in April 2016.
“It’s the same duties basically,” Yough said following the meeting. “I am in charge of all the officers patrolling the streets. I will make sure the day-to-day tasks are being taken care of. Essentially I will be making sure everyone is doing their job.”
Yough said it is his desire to stay with the Ford City Police Department. Police Chief Paul Hughes feels that is a positive step for his officers as well as the community.
“We chose Sergeant Yough because he was the most qualified to be full-time. He has an been an exceptional officer. He is field training officer. He is everything you would want in a full-time officer.”
Hughes said that Yough will be taking on more administrative duties.
“He is going to be more at my side helping me. He is very good at adapting to new job duties. I have no doubt that he will be the help that I need, and will do it well quickly.”
“He is helping us create more stability in our department,” Mayor Jeff Cogley added. “I am hoping in the future that we can move forward with at least one other full-time position.”
Indeed, Yough’s promotion to full-time marks the first time the police department has had a full-time police officer other than the chief since Sgt. John Atherton retired and Sgt. Mark Brice resigned at the end of 2015. Council, at that time, rolled back the department to part-time status. Since then, the department has had three different police chiefs and has had internal issues resulting in one law suit and numerous complaints on police conduct.
The police force will now have two full time officers, including the Chief. It has five part-time officers. Chief Hughes said there is no plan to hire additional part-time officers, but has ideas for expansion.
“We hope in time to hire more full time positions. There is no set time frame. We are a 24-hour department being staffed with two full-time and five part-time officers. We hope to return to be a full-time department at some point, but that depends upon the growth of the town. We have hope that that day is going to come to fruition.”
According to the motion to hire on the agenda, Yough will be paid $21 per hour and receive full benefits that include hospitalization and a retirement plan.