Mark Cawthon sworn in as Amherst police chief

AMHERST — From an early age, Mark Cawthon wanted to be a police officer. In 1992, fresh out of Elyria High School and the Lorain County Joint Vocational School law enforcement program, he was hired as an Amherst dispatcher. After his shifts, he would go home, clean his uniform, and head back to the station to ride along with patrolmen into the early hours of the morning. It didn't take long for Cawthon to earn a badge. He was hired part time in 1995 and was made full time very shortly thereafter. Twenty-six years later, in front of a sea of retired role models, seasoned veterans and new recruits, Cawthon raised his right hand Wednesday night in a ceremony at Nordson Depot and swore to uphold Ohio's laws as Amherst's new chief of police. The promotion was a chance to look back at those who shaped him — such as former Detective John Balog, with whom he spent hours in a cruiser, learning the ropes. "The officers that I rode with, they took a vested interest in me, my career development," Cawthon said. "They taught me a lot about police work, a lot about life. Those lessons I learned riding along in those cars were invaluable." He bucked for sergeant in 2001, and spent 14 years as the department' K-9 officer. Running down a list of accolades, Mayor Mark Costilow highlighted how together with his German shepherd Bandit, Cawthon made one of the largest drug busts in Lorain County history — 20 kilograms of cocaine. Retiring his dogs was difficult, Cawthon said. With that chapter closed, he was promoted to lieutenant in 2014. "I'm still as committed as I was in 1995," he said. "I'm still committed to serving this community, serving the members of the Amherst Police Department." Now Cawthon steps into the office vacated by former Chief Joseph Kucirek, who retired in October under less than ideal circumstances. His promotion brings to a close a long story of low morale, disgruntled officers who left for other departments and allegations of insubordination against Kucirek. Several Amherst officers said Wednesday they've seen a tremendous turnaround in morale since Kucirek left the police department — and attitudes have become increasingly positive since Cawthon was named his successor. "I must say there's an exciting road ahead for the Amherst Police Department," Cawthon told his employees Wednesday. "I feel that." His elevation to chief has resulted in a domino effect. Sgt. Mike Rosebeck was promoted to fill Cawthon's former job as lieutenant, and also was sworn in Wednesday night. Rosebeck is a 1994 graduate of Firelands High School and holds an associate degree in police science from Lorain County Community College. Rosebeck, a 21-year veteran with Amherst, was promoted to sergeant in 2014. Costilow recounted acts of heroism that have earned him medals of valor over the years. In 2002, Rosebeck rescued an infant from a house fire, and in 2016 he saved a 73-year-old woman from flames that had trapped her inside a burning apartment building. Patrol officer Brian Bowers was also promoted. Bowers, a 2003 graduate of Marion L. Steele High School in Amherst, was a Plain City police officer for five years before being hired by Amherst in 2013. For the past three years, he has been assigned to duty inside the Amherst Schools. Now he is being tasked to help lead the road patrol. Contact Jason Hawk at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.