Meet the Monroe Police Department
Use the links on the left to find about the PD.

Patrol Officer Greg Myers By Valerie Stokley
Greg Myers is one of Monroe's patrol officers and K-9 officers.  Officer Myers is a graduate from Lebanon High School. This K-9 cop came to this area, from Lebanon because he said the city of Monroe is very similar to Lebanon.

After graduating high school, Greg went on to college to become a teacher, not knowing where he would end up teaching. When completing his college courses in education, Officer Myers got a teaching job. He taught an auto mechanics class at LCI (Lebanon Correctional Institute). Later on he decided to leave LCI and began working for the Monroe Police Department.

Myers' partner in crime was a yellow Labrador who goes by the name of Top Gun. But Top Gun is now retiring and a new dog is being trained by office Meyers. 

There is one other four-legged assistant, and the name of this dog is Duke. Duke is a German shepherd that walks along the side of Officer Chasteen. These two well-trained dogs assist the Monroe's Police Department in ways that we humans can't. Top Gun enjoyed demonstrating some of his detection and tracking skills at local schools.

Officer Myers' final word, and safety tip for all, is, "The top dogs are
drug free."

Patrol Officer Brian Curlis By Valerie Stokley
Brian Curlis is a Patrol Officer for the city of Monroe and an officer that some LMHS students see. Officer Curlis is the school resource officer for the local high school. Brian graduated from Middletown High School and went directly into the patrol officer business. He has been an officer for the city of Monroe since '96.

Officer Curlis informed me that the reason he wanted to work for the city of Monroe was because Monroe is a "good town." He also said that he really "enjoys the department" he is currently working with. Besides Officer Brian Curlis, there is another Officer Curlis. The other one that works for the city of Monroe's police department is Officer Rebecca Curlis (Brian's wife).

Brain Curlis' safety tip is, "Be aware of your surroundings at all times."

Police Chief Ernie Howard By Valerie Stokley
Ernie Howard, Monroe's Chief of Police, has been with the Monroe Police Department since 1990. Being a police officer in September of 1961 for Middletown Police Department and retiring as a Deputy Chief, Ernie was already experienced with this line of duty. 

When Chief Howard started as the first full time officer, there were thirty-two part time officers. Ernie remembers in 1995 the hiring of the first full time Sergeant and Captain. Chief Howard states, by the end of this November the department will have a total of sixteen full time officers.

In 1990 the Police Department was located on the corner of Main Street in a small, white building. In 1992 they moved from this little building into a leased facility on Lebanon Street. Since the rapid growth of this city, the Monroe Police Department has also grown. They expanded from being in a little white building to their own facility, with electronic keys that secure the building, which also has two holding cells for the officers' own safety.

The Monroe's Police Department protects the entire city of Monroe. They dispatch to the city itself, the Monroe Fire Department, and EMS. Along with the work they do here, they also work the City Fest, speak at assemblies in elementary schools (some in the Lemon Township), started a Neighborhood Watch program in '95, and have Citizens Police Academies so the public can get more involved.

With help from the Lemon Township Trustees the Monroe Police Department has been able to purchase a new laser-type speed measuring device and a substance abuse trailer. This trailer will be equipped with display cases locked and filled with mock-up drugs. When this entire display is complete, it will be taken to schools and city events to let the community be more aware of what is out there.

Chief Ernie Howard told me his safety-tip to remember is, "...everybody that drives a vehicle and that's inside a vehicle should be buckled up," and remember, "...you can't be secure in your home, if you don't keep your home secure."

The old Monroe fire station on Main Street.

Meet the Monroe Fire Department

Lieutenant Firefighter Steve Schlamb By Valerie Stokley
Steve Schlamb is the Lieutenant for the Monroe Fire Department. Lieutenant Schlamb is the shift commander for shift 2, which is also known as platoon 2. There are three different platoons and eight fire fighters covering those platoons. Three are four firemen at the location on Main Street and four firemen at the new Rt. 4 station. At the station on Main Street there are two fire "pumpers" or ladder trucks, two ambulances, and the shift commander's car. One truck is at this location and one at the Rt.4 station, and the two ambulances are split up too.  The location on Main Street dispatches from the railroad tracks near Salzman Road and everything to the east inside the City Limits. Steve told me that he receives an average of  five calls a day, over a year's average. Out of these calls, 60-70% of these calls are EMS calls, not "kitty in a tree" calls.

Being the responsible lieutenant that Schlamb is, he told me that he always makes sure the equipment is ready to go out on call at any time and makes sure that they all use appropriate action, but his number one priority is the safety of his personnel.

I was also informed that in March of 2000 the City Council is thinking about putting the department on the levy to raise funds to replace the Main Street firehouse with a new one, and to buy a new fire pumper (fire truck) to replace the old one. Steve seems to be very excited about his job and about trying to get a new station for the City of Monroe.

Fire Chief Dave Waddell By Valerie Stokley
Dave Waddell is the Assistant Chief of the Monroe Fire Department. He has been in this business for a total of thirty years. Mr. Waddell is from Hamilton, Ohio. After he graduated high school, he went through the Navy, which gave him a variety of jobs to pick from. At the age of twenty-two he chose to work for the city of Hamilton. He worked for the Hamilton fire department for twenty-five years before he decided to further his knowledge.  He is now working on his Fire Science Degree at the University of Cincinnati. Dave has now been a part of Monroe's fire department for five years.

In the Monroe Fire Department, Waddell has a total of twenty-five fulltime employees and ten volunteers that get paid per call. The department is in the process of increasing their manpower from eight workers per day to nine workers per day. The fire department is on call twenty-four hours a day to help to keep up safe, and they are there if we need their help.

Before the interview was over I asked Waddell if they had a Dalmatian, but unfortunately they did not. Waddell did inform me that a stray dog which was hurt, was found in the area of the Rt.4 station. He said the fire fighters have taken in the dog until it is better. After the dog is up on his paws they are going to find the owner. These guys don't only care about the people, but the animals as well.

The new Monroe fire station on Route 4.