Eight new officers expand the complement, add to diversity of the Erie Bureau of Police (2024)
Eight new officers, including two plucked from Pittsburgh and a pair with relatives already on the force, are expanding the complement of the Erie Bureau of Police to a level not seen in nearly 20 years.
The eight male officers sworn in by Mayor Joe Schember at Erie City Hall on Tuesday morning boost the number of new city police officers hired this year to 26 and represent the second batch of police hires funded through a portion of Erie's American Rescue Plan allocation.
Their hiring boosts the Erie Bureau of Police's complement to 189 officers, the most the city has employed since the bureau had 192 officers in 2004. City budget issues led to the elimination of some police positions in 2005, and since then the bureau's complement has hovered around 175 officers.
Tuesday's hires, as well as nine new officers hired in June, are part of the police bureau's plan to reestablish two specialized units that were eliminated because of budget issues in 2005. Police Chief Dan Spizarny late last year sought a portion of Erie's ARP funds to add officers to bring back the bureau's Juvenile Crime Unit and Crisis Unit and bolster some other department initiatives, including the Police Athletic League.
Erie City Council approved the funding allocation.
The Juvenile Crime Unit, made up of detectives who will concentrate on investigating juvenile-related crime at a time when serious crimes involving juveniles have increased, is expected to be in place in January, Spizarny said.
The Crisis Unit, featuring officers specially trained in responding to mental health, domestic and other crisis calls and assisting the homeless, is expected to be reformed and ready to begin work in May, Spizarny said.
"It's different," Spizarny said of the latest two hiring periods. "Usually we were replacing officers who left. These officers are bringing us to a higher level to address some problems."
In addition to the 17 officers hired on Tuesday and in June, the city welcomed nine new officers in February to fill vacancies within the police bureau.
Increased diversity, local connections
Tuesday's hires included a Black male, a Hispanic male, and the first Erie police officer "born in this century," Spizarny said.
The city police bureau now consists of 164 white males, 11 Black males, nine white females and five Hispanic males.
Sworn in on Tuesday were
Ryan Pelkowski, 29, an Erie native who graduated from Seneca High School and served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Pelkowski previously worked for the UPMC Hamot Police Department;
Steven Harris, 34, an Illinois native who later moved to Pittsburgh. Harris, a U.S. Army veteran, previously worked for the Pittsburgh Police Department and the McKees Rocks Police Department;
Kelvin Munoz Carrero, 31, a native of Puerto Rico who graduated from Butler Area Senior High School and attended Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Carrero is a member of the U.S. Army Reserves;
Brandon Large, 32, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. Large previously worked for the Pittsburgh Police Department;
Philip Munro, 30, an Erie native who graduated from East High School and Saint Leo University. Munro, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, previously worked for the Highmark Health Police Department at Saint Vincent Hospital;
David Knight, 35, a graduate of North East High School. Knight previously worked for the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, the Erie County Sheriff's Office and the Erie County Department of Public Safety;
Joshua Semczuk, 21, an Erie native. Semczuk, a certified personal trainer, is the nephew of an Erie Bureau of Police sergeant; and
Steven Matson, 26, an Erie native who graduated from Cathedral Preparatory School and Mercyhurst University. Matson, the son of an Erie Bureau of Police lieutenant, previously worked for the Girard Police Department and the Mercyhurst University Police Department.
Spizarny said the Erie Bureau of Police has hired 66 new officers since Schember first took office as Erie's mayor in 2018. The chief also noted that he is overseeing a young department, as 120 of its officers have less than 13 years of experience on the job while 69 officers have more than 19 years of service.
In addition to the new officers, Schember on Tuesday swore in two new chaplains for the Erie Bureau of Police. They are the Rev. Jason Glover, pastor of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, and the Rev. Jim Grove, pastor of ReaLife Assembly of God.
Contact Tim Hahn atthahn@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter@ETNhahn.
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