Dalton police chief resigns

PHOTO BY CHRISTINA McCUNE | DGKN

Dalton Police Chief Ryan Pearson takes a selfie with Eric Peters, detective lieutenant with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.

DALTON  He didn’t want any fanfare as he expected to quietly shift from one police department to another.

But when you have worked as a police officer in a village for over half of your life so far and have been chief for the majority of those years – some recognition and honor is warranted.

Dalton Police Chief Ryan Pearson was told that village officers may see him off to his next adventure in his law enforcement career by having a small gathering in his honor Friday at the police station.

Little did he know that Capt. Eric McFarren – who will be filling in as interim police chief – had cast a wide net to surprise
him. Word spread quickly about an opportunity to congratulate and catch up with the longtime law enforcement officer and police academy instructor before he heads to neighboring Apple Creek Police Department. It’s not difficult to find active and retired officers throughout the area who had a positive influence on Pearson’s life. And it’s even easier to find those whose lives Pearson has impacted.

A steady flow of people came and went from the station this past Friday. Pearson caught some of the officers before they headed out the door and got selfies with them. Scott Jones, who is with the Canton Police Department and used to work with Pearson in Dalton, and Detective Lt. Eric Peters, who incidentally recently received the Children Services Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award for his work at the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, both consider Pearson as a mentor. They said Pearson puts people at ease with his chill laid-back attitude and by treating everyone like he is their equal.

“I knew I could come to him to ask him questions about stuff,” Peters said.

Det. Mike Oyler with Medina Township Police Department was Pearson’s field training officer. Oyler used to work part-time in Dalton beginning in 1996 and knew Pearson before he entered the police academy.

“He’s an awesome guy,” Oyler said. “He always showed a lot of empathy and compassion when we were dealing with people.
He’s put a lot into this place.  They definitely picked the right person for the job.”

Pearson, who graduated from Washington High School in Massillon, had considered becoming a history teacher. He
worked at Berg’s IGA in Dalton and often hung around the police station.

“He would come and do ridealongs with us,” Oyler said. “He always had a great sense of humor. I’ve been great friends
with him ever since.”

Oyler said Pearson was like a younger brother and the officers would joke around with him because he was the young one.
His interest in local law enforcement didn’t go unnoticed and Police Chief Randy Cox encouraged Pearson to apply to the
police academy in 1999. Cox passed away in 2002. His wife, Judy Cox, who also was in law enforcement and was a longtime
mayor of Dalton, worked with Pearson for many years.

Oyler said he believed Pearson may have been considered one of the youngest police chiefs in the state when he was promoted at age 26.

Charlie Hardman, who retired from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office as captain in 2012 and worked at the Dalton Police
Department for a brief time and also taught in the law enforcement academy, said his path has crossed with Pearson’s quite often.

“Our joke has always been: He would always call me and say, ‘Hey, how’s my favorite captain?’ and I would say, ‘how’s my
favorite chief?”

Hardman said he is familiar with changing career paths and wishes Pearson well at the next step of his journey.

“It’s a good feeling to leave something better than what it was – then you know you were successful,” Hardman said.

“He’s just the kind of guy you can talk to and ask him to do something and you knew it would get done,” he said. “He cares
about the community and doing the right things.”

Hardman and others noted how Dalton is considered “recruiting grounds” to some hiring officers because of the well-trained officers Dalton produces. Many officers have ties to Dalton.

Pearson isn’t going far. He will be a full-time officer in Apple Creek under Chief Doug Miller. McFarren will serve as interim
chief. Dalton Village Council is advertising for a new police chief.

Pearson began as an auxiliary officer at Dalton and was hired full time. After a few years he began teaching at police academies. He worked his way up. Outside of law enforcement, Pearson also is known for getting along well with all ages since he has coached youth and high school sports for decades. He also enjoyed being an announcer for Wayne County
Speedway.

He and his wife, Steph, have two children who are both Dalton graduates and in college: Caroline is at Ohio University and Colin continues to play football and is at Ohio Wesleyan.

“I had the time of my life here,” Pearson told his friends and fellow law enforcement officers at the gathering this past week.

He said he appreciated everyone and said that as he told village council during his short presentation earlier that week:
“my heart is full of love.”