Mayor Matt Miller announced today that Capt. David Lay of the Ashland Police Division will be sworn in as the city’s new Chief of Police on Monday, June 21st, at 3:00p.m. in the City Council Chambers.
“Chief Lay brings to this important position more than 28 years of experience in local law enforcement and he has proven his commitment to the safety and protection of the people of our city,” said Miller. “Over the years, as he rose through the ranks at the APD, Capt. Lay has earned the respect of his colleagues in our local criminal justice system, and after working with him over the past several years, I believe that he can take our already highly-skilled and professional police department to a whole new level.”
Lay first joined the Ashland Police Division in 1993, and he was appointed to the rank of Captain (the number two position in the division) in 2010. Over the years, Lay has held a number of leadership roles including a Special Deputy U.S. Marshal for the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force—Richland County Division.
“I have tasked Chief Lay to work on improving communications at the department both internally with our officers and staff members, as well as with the people we serve here in our great city,” added Miller. “Chief Lay will also focus on reviewing and evaluating our existing policies and procedures, as well as making sure that our officers have all of the training and equipment that they need to do their jobs with excellence.”
Lay is a graduate of North Central State College and Ohio University, and in 2007 he was selected to participate in the FBI National Academy. He and his wife, Terri, reside in Ashland County.
“We are so fortunate that we had a number of very well-qualified, high quality candidates apply for this position, and I think this says a lot about the character of our people and the positive culture that we have here in our community,” said Miller