Chief Fredrick W. Stevens

Message from the Chief

On behalf of the officers and the employees of the Tiffin Police Department, welcome to our web site. We are delighted to provide you historical information about our Police Department, and our current functions and programs.

I am proud of the men and women of the Tiffin Police Department who, in good times and bad, continue their efforts to make Tiffin a better place to live. However, the Police can’t do it alone, we need your help in making Tiffin a safer, and better place to live. Therefore, we welcome information on unsolved crimes, or suggestions and comments on how the Police can improve the services we provide to the community. We would like to hear what you think we are doing right, as well as what you think we are doing wrong.

Our goal is to work in partnership with the citizens of Tiffin to provide a safe community, through the delivery of fair and impartial Police services. Please help us in obtaining our goal.

In case of an emergency, please dial 911

POLICE STATION
51 E. MARKET ST. 
(419) 447-2323
CHIEFOFPOLICE@TIFFINOHIO.GOV

Mission

The Tiffin Police Department is committed to providing a safe community by controlling crime through prevention, education, and enforcement of the law.

Values

FIRST

Fairness, Integrity, Respect, Service & Teamwork

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Recruitment

Previous test was given October 30, 2016-
and is valid for 2 years.

For more information about becoming an Officer, and to view requirements and qualifications, please use the following link:

Recruitment Information

Internship Application

Physical Fitness Exam

Background Removal Standards

History

1821

1821

The history of the Police Department in Tiffin dates back to 1821 where the first recorded Marshal , Louis Popineau was appointed. He had two deputies at the time, Benjamin Barney and Caleb Rice. State laws where very weak at this time and often ignored and the judicial system in the area was strongly rooted in the beliefs of the community.
1824

1824

In 1824 the first Sheriff of Seneca County is elected and Agreen Ingraham accepted the position. He was described as a man of the people who devoted his entire life to the position and the community.
1832

1832

In 1832 Harry Brish is named as the community of Tiffin's first Marshal but the records are unclear on if he was elected, appointed, what his duties were, the scope of his authority, or his working relationship with the elected Sheriff. During its formative years, Tiffin as other towns struggled to maintain law and order. Although Marshal Brish may have functioned as Marshal, and there was an elected Sheriff, most of the area Law Enforcement was controlled by vigilante-type groups. The Clinton Protective Society was organized in 1846 and the ranks of its membership swelled until 1886, when three hundred and forty-four were part of the band. Responsible and influential citizens of Tiffin were aware that an orderly transition from vigilante law to government law was required for the establishment of a stable law enforcement agency necessary for the growth of a prosperous and progressive community.
1851

1851

In 1851 S.H. Kissinger was the first recorded Marshal elected in Tiffin (which is comparable to today's Chief of Police) and the first Police Department was formed. Among its first Patrolmen were: Charles Brish George Miller Amos Nicholas Isaac Robb I.J.C. Shoemaker
1872

1872

Tiffin suffered typical post Civil War economical problems. Thus a Police Department did not exist from April to November during the year 1872. The mayor had to appoint 90 additional special constables during this time to cover the void. When the monetary problems were solved and re-organization took place, the following three men were listed as its Patrolmen: Charles Brish James Hennessay Isaac Robb
1882

1882

Our earliest known photograph of the Tiffin Police Department Patrolmen (shown above) is from 1882 and showed the following Patrolmen: Charles Brish, Marshal James George, Jerome Lamberston, and Pat Sweeney
1895

1895

The first recorded officer duty related death dates back to October 25th, 1895. On this date a man reported to Marshal Shultz that a man was acting strange with a pistol on a farm North of Tiffin. Marshal Shultz and Patrolman Sweeney went to that location in a horse drawn buggy. As reported, Lee Martin was found in a field with a gun in his hand. Marshal SMarshal Schultzhultz approached in an attempt to talk to Martin and a scuffle ensued and shots broke out. Shultz fell to the ground mortally wounded. Patrolman Sweeney subdued Martin and placed the dying Marshal into the buggy and raced back to Tiffin. Marshal Shultz succumbed to his injuries and Martin was brought to trial on June 3rd, 1896 and Judge Schuffleburger ordered his execution by hanging for the murder. While awaiting his execution it was later changed to a sentence and it is reported that he served his sentence and was released and lived in Fostoria until he fell off a roof while repairing it and died.
1903

1903

At the turn of the century there can be noted little change within the procedures anTPD Old Patchd activity of law enforcement in Tiffin. However, there was one major exception in 1903, the first City Civil Service Board was established. This board made several changes and one of them was changing the title of Marshal to Chief of Police. The first Chief of Police, Claude Myers was chosen along with eleven other Patrolmen.
1908

1908

On March 29th, 1908 another in the line of duty death was recorded. Patrolman Pat Sweeney, while making his appointed rounds, happened to come across a burglary in progress. Two ladies observed Patrolman Sweeney climb the stairs of the Breckley Grocery Store at N. Washington St. and Harrison St. Shortly thereafter shots were heard coming from the store. A man was observed fleeing the store and also fired on the two ladies but missed. Patrolman Sweeney was found, felled by bullets, and was carried into Brick's Saloon. A doctor was summoned and he advised that Patrolman Sweeney be transferred to St. Vincent's Hospital in Toledo. Patrolman Sweeney was then taken by train to ToledoPatrolman Sweeney and surgery was performed in an attempt to save his life, but he died the next day. But before his death he gave the prosecuting attorney a statement accusing "Butch" Huffman, a felon who had recently been released from prison in Columbus, and a man that Patrolman Sweeney had sent there as the one that had shot him. Pictures of Huffman were circulated, but the man that had snuffed out the life of a veteran Policeman of thirty-four years on the Tiffin Police Department, was never found.
1915

1915

By 1915, the Tiffin Police Departmentpurchased its first patrol vehicle which was driven by Motorcop, Heilman. The department had a total man power of twelve patrolmen, which were paid an average of $75 per month and the Chief was paid $90 a month. Locally and nationally there was restlessness (war being imminent between the U.S.A. and Germany) and economic strain was noted.
1916

1916

In 1916 tempers were flaring and at times the influence of the prohibition advocates were being felt. November 17th, 1916, Chief Myers was arrested and charged with being drunk by Patrolman Brayman. Chief Myers countered by saying that he was going hunting. Motorcop Heilman was appointed Acting Chief of Police. December 6th, 1916, Chief Myers was suspended officially by the Civil Service Commission. He fought the case, but left the department March 1917.
1917

1917

The next year, 1917 Prohibition is passed by the United States Congress and later that year the Police Department raided its first speak easy. The secret location? it was in the basement of the county courthouse! Also in 1917, the fear of war and invasion spread across the nation and again able bodied men were taken from the ranks of the Tiffin Police Department. It was left to the women of Tiffin to keep the peace and they organized a home guard and their membership included training with a rifle.
1920

1920

By the beginning of the Roaring Twenties, new faces had been added to the Tiffin Police Department and some other faces were no longer seen. Chief Heilman had retired and Chief Bordner was his replacement. Many officers remained with the force a short time. The average tenure was approximately three years. This was due for the most part because of a salary lower than the rest of the community and hours of twelve hours on duty and twelve hours off duty, six days a week. The population had increased in Tiffin by nearly 20% and at this time 14,375 people were living inside the city limits.
1924

1924

November 11th, 1924, the City of Tiffin purchased their first technological leap for the Tiffin Police Department. Call Boxes were purchased to aid the Patrolmen on their beat, enabling them to better communicate with the Police Station. The local taxi service is also enlisted to assist in transporting officers to and from calls for service. Technology starts to be looked at and the latter days of 1924 saw criminalistics used in Tiffin for the first time to solve a robbery. Bloody fingerprints were found at the scene of a robbery at Balls & Hooks. Subsequently, the detection and arrest of one of the robbers came about because of the fingerprints.
1929

1929

In September 1929, Chief Mutchler ordered a firming up of the Police Departments Rules & Regulations and activities. He ordered his Patrolmen to crack down on all types of violations. Also in 1929 Lawrence Dull and Kenneth Brown robbed a filling station in town and killed the attendant during the robbery. A massive investigation and manhunt was undertaken by the Tiffin Police Department and this lead to their arrest and convictions. Lawrence Dull was later taken to Columbus and was the first person from Tiffin to die by electrocution.
1933

1933

John Dillinger and his gang robbed a bank in Fostoria in 1933 and headed for Tiffin on Route 18. Tiffin Police officers set up a road block on Route #18 and awaited the gang's arrival but they never showed up having turned off onto some county road to avoid law enforcement. Also in 1933 the Ohio State Patrol completed its first training school at Camp Perry. Col. Black led this first group on a parade through Tiffin.
1938

1938

In 1938 construction on a new Municipal Building was started for the city and it was decided that the Police Department would also be housed in it. In March of 1940 the Police Department moved into it's new location. In addition to new quarters the Police Department now had a talking radio on the A.M. band and the call letters were WTOP. This system later was upgraded to F.M. in 1943 with the call letters of KQB 396.
1942

1942

Chief Mutchler resigned in 1942 after 34 years of law enforcement service and Harold J. Fraley was selected as the new Chief of Police. Chief Fraley began by initiating new policies and procedures. Also in 1942 World War II rocks the nation and again TPD members are asked to step up and serve. Tiffin started a Civil Defense Unit that was located in the basement of the Tiffin Police Department and Municipal Building and had nearly 300 members that assisted the Police Department with air raid drills, blackout practices and auxiliary services. During these war years new procedures had to be implemented and on April 16th, 1946 Chief Fraley started a written complaint report system that was in effect for nearly 5 decades.
1950

1950

In the early 1950's Chief Fraley started the Tiffin Police Department's own police school. All new Patrolmen were required to complete sixteen weeks of intensive training. This was a major accomplishment and Tiffin was the first department of it's size in the State of Ohio to operate it's own school. By the mid 1950's war was again on the minds of Americans. Crime rates soared rapidly. Tiffin Patrolmen still worked 44 hours a week and received special training in fingerprinting, criminal investigating, disaster service, and the use of the drunkometer as alcohol abuse was on the rise. Also during this time the younger generation began to rebel against authority. Since Law Enforcement represented authority, many cases at this time was directly related to this rebellion.
1957

1957

In 1957 the rank of Sergeant was added to the Tiffin Police Department and the first three Patrolmen that were selected were: Englehart, Griffis, and Fisher. During this same year the 44 hour a week workload was lowered to the now standard 40 hours a week. By 1958 the department had grown to 26 men, 3 cruisers, and 2 motorcycles. The composition of the department was 1 Chief, 2 Captains, 3 Sergeants and 20 Patrolmen.
1969

1969

June 1969 brought about the creation of the Criminal Division by Chief Fraley who had a keen insight to what was on the horizon and the need for a separate investigative unit. Not long after in 1971 a grant was approved for the establishment of another special division. The Youth Services Division came into being at no extra cost to the local taxpayers. This year also was also another reorganization year and the rank of Lieutenant was created.
1972

1972

In the fall of 1972, Sergeant R.F. Wilson was appointed to the duties of photography and identification. A federal Grant was obtained and a laboratory was built with the latest equipment. Over 10,000 pictures were taken in the first year.
1973

1973

By 1973 the Police Department's building was almost 40 years old and concern about the physical structure caused a major renovation to take place. By 1974 major construction had started and Patrolmen had to work around the debris. The 1939 appearance of the building was gradually fading away and work was completed in 1974.
1976

1976

In 1976 the Police Department building had just went under a major renovation and so did the police department leadership. After 34 years as Chief of Police, Chief Harold J. Fraley retired and was replaced by Chief David Martien. The building was now more functional and better met the neeNew TPD Patchds and demands of the increasing size of the department. At this time the composition was 35 officers and 8 civilian employees. 1 Chief, 2 Captains, 3 Lieutenants, 3 Sergeants and 26 Patrolmen. Chief Martien also introduced the new Tiffin Police Department Patch.
1987

1987

In 1987 Chief Martien retired and moved on to become the Mayor of Tiffin and Chief Wayne A. Stephens replaced him and instituted D.A.R.E. and better equipment and technology. The first Special Response Team was developed and established in 1991 as well as the first K-9 unit consisting of Sgt. Mike A. Marquis and K9 Cora. Chief Stephens retired in 1996 and moved onto the City Administration position continuing to serve the City of Tiffin.
1999

1999

In 1999 under the direction of Chief Tom Steyer The department underwent a remodel again and this remodel removed the old jail cell area in the back of the department making room for offices, interview rooms and two holding cells all in one area. The front hallway now became a lobby and records office where the Chief and Captain's offices used to be.
2000

2000

In 2000 Chief Steyer retired and ran for Sheriff of Seneca County and won. A nationwide search went out and in 2001 Chief David A. LaGrange was hired. One of the projects that was started under Chief Steyer was getting Accreditated through CALEA and after many years of stop and go work on it, it was finally accomplished in 2004.
2012

2012

In 2012 Chief LaGrange resigned and another nationwide search was undertaken and after several months in August of 2012 Chief Fredrick W. Stevens was selected. He was serving as the Interim Chief of Police since January when Chief LaGrange had resigned. A new Evidence room and Training room have been built with all the latest technologies. A new Comroom with an IP based radio system is in place to replace the 30+ year old radio equipment that had lived its lifespan and then some. Offices were consolidated and remodeled and painted. A small museum of historical items were placed into donated display cases down in the basement lobby and display some of the past technologies that TPD has used. Pictures of previous officers and vehicles and other photos were framed and placed around the department. The Police Firing range received a much needed remodel and the electric and exhaust fans were fixed and put back into working order.
2013

2013

On April 2nd of 2013 the Police Department along with the other law enforcement agencies in Seneca County went Multi-Jurisdictional in the Computer Aided Dispatch and Record Management Systems. This had been a decade or more long project by TPD in combining all agencies on the same software to share information. Tiffin Police had been using a system called Pro-Phoenix for the last 7 years and now all of Seneca County (except for Fostoria) are using this software that allows all agencies to share information, records, mapping, mobile communications, etc. with each other. Fostoria is in the works of also joining the system and hopefully by 2015 will be part of the Multi-Juris system.
197 years ago

1821

The history of the Police Department in Tiffin dates back to 1821 where the first recorded Marshal ,

Read More →

194 years ago

1824

In 1824 the first Sheriff of Seneca County is elected and Agreen Ingraham accepted the position. He

Read More →

186 years ago

1832

In 1832 Harry Brish is named as the community of Tiffin's first Marshal but the records are unclear

Read More →

167 years ago

1851

In 1851 S.H. Kissinger was the first recorded Marshal elected in Tiffin (which is comparable to toda

Read More →

146 years ago

1872

Tiffin suffered typical post Civil War economical problems. Thus a Police Department did not exist f

Read More →

136 years ago

1882

Our earliest known photograph of the Tiffin Police Department Patrolmen (shown above) is from 1882 a

Read More →

123 years ago

1895

The first recorded officer duty related death dates back to October 25th, 1895. On this date a man r

Read More →

115 years ago

1903

At the turn of the century there can be noted little change within the procedures anTPD Old Patchd a

Read More →

1908

1908

On March 29th, 1908 another in the line of duty death was recorded. Patrolman Pat Sweeney, while mak

Read More →

103 years ago

1915

By 1915, the Tiffin Police Departmentpurchased its first patrol vehicle which was driven by Motorcop

Read More →

102 years ago

1916

In 1916 tempers were flaring and at times the influence of the prohibition advocates were being felt

Read More →

101 years ago

1917

The next year, 1917 Prohibition is passed by the United States Congress and later that year the Poli

Read More →

98 years ago

1920

By the beginning of the Roaring Twenties, new faces had been added to the Tiffin Police Department a

Read More →

94 years ago

1924

November 11th, 1924, the City of Tiffin purchased their first technological leap for the Tiffin Poli

Read More →

89 years ago

1929

In September 1929, Chief Mutchler ordered a firming up of the Police Departments Rules & Regulations

Read More →

85 years ago

1933

John Dillinger and his gang robbed a bank in Fostoria in 1933 and headed for Tiffin on Route 18. Tif

Read More →

80 years ago

1938

In 1938 construction on a new Municipal Building was started for the city and it was decided that th

Read More →

76 years ago

1942

Chief Mutchler resigned in 1942 after 34 years of law enforcement service and Harold J. Fraley was s

Read More →

68 years ago

1950

In the early 1950's Chief Fraley started the Tiffin Police Department's own police school. All new P

Read More →

61 years ago

1957

In 1957 the rank of Sergeant was added to the Tiffin Police Department and the first three Patrolmen

Read More →

49 years ago

1969

June 1969 brought about the creation of the Criminal Division by Chief Fraley who had a keen insight

Read More →

46 years ago

1972

In the fall of 1972, Sergeant R.F. Wilson was appointed to the duties of photography and identificat

Read More →

45 years ago

1973

By 1973 the Police Department's building was almost 40 years old and concern about the physical str

Read More →

42 years ago

1976

In 1976 the Police Department building had just went under a major renovation and so did the police

Read More →

1987

1987

In 1987 Chief Martien retired and moved on to become the Mayor of Tiffin and Chief Wayne A. Stephens

Read More →

1999

1999

In 1999 under the direction of Chief Tom Steyer The department underwent a remodel again and this re

Read More →

2000

2000

In 2000 Chief Steyer retired and ran for Sheriff of Seneca County and won. A nationwide search went

Read More →

2012

2012

In 2012 Chief LaGrange resigned and another nationwide search was undertaken and after several month

Read More →

2013

2013

On April 2nd of 2013 the Police Department along with the other law enforcement agencies in Seneca C

Read More →

 

Marshal of Police

1851      S. H. Kissinger
1852      A. Nichols
1853      J.C. Mitchell
1855      F. Harris
1857      H. Britton
1859      J. Zimmer
1861      L.F. Beilharz
1862      H. Britton
1864     C.  Muetchler
1871      R. Nichols
1875     J. George
1883      W.H. Kissinger
1885      John Hummer

1890      Jeremiah Kerschner
1892      Fred Frick
1895      *August Schultz
1895      Fred Frick
1897     Lloyd Lease
1900     Frank J. Dildine
1902     Jacob A. Seilheimer
1903     James Phillips

*Marshal Schultz was killed in the line of duty
**Changed from title of Marshal to Chief of Police in 1908 and thereafter

Chief of Police

1908      **Claude Myers
1917       Albert E. Heilman
1920      Clyde M. Bordner
1925      Charles Mutchler
1942      Harold J. Fraley
1976      David Martien
1987      Wayne A. Stephens
1996      Thomas G. Steyer
2001      David A. LaGrange
2012      Fredrick W. Stevens