Edgeworth adds 2 full-time officers to its police force

Edgeworth officials welcomed some familiar faces as their new full-time police officers — William Och and Brian Tice Jr. were recently sworn in to their positions.

Council unanimously approved the hiring at its Feb. 21 meeting.

Och, 51, of Cranberry Township, is very familiar with the borough.

“It’s one of the first places I worked when I got in to local law enforcement in 1995,” he said. “I started working here four years part-time before I moved to a large city department outside of Cleveland. … Edgeworth always had a special place in my heart.”

Och worked for about four years as an officer in Mentor, Ohio.

He served for about 21 1/2 years as a Cranberry officer, including 14 years as a township sergeant, and retired last month.

Och’s law enforcement career also includes part-time stints in Sewickley, Leetsdale and Bell Acres. He is an active shooter/violent intruder instructor, a firearms instructor, a lead instructor for the PA DUI Association and a drug recognition expert.

There are about 220 drug recognition experts in the state. They are usually called upon when an officer stops someone and suspects a person to be under the influence of something other than alcohol.

Och said he feels a responsibility to pass on as much knowledge as possible to others.

“I’m a big believer that anything I’ve ever learned through my experiences and my training, it’s my job to impart that knowledge upon a new generation of officers,” Och said. “I think the best way to do it is by instructing and giving it to them hands-on.

“Answering any questions they might have or misunderstandings they have about something. Regardless of how much bashing local law enforcement takes, we’re a profession that always perseveres.”

Och’s father, Bill Och, was a teacher and football coach for Quaker Valley High School for years.

Tice, 33, of Moon, joined Edgeworth as a part-time officer in 2019.

He also worked as a patrolman in Ohio Township and Sewickley Heights before taking the full-time position.

“It’s life-changing,” Tice said of his new role. “Community is a big part of (staying in Edgeworth). It’s small enough where you can get to know people on a name to name basis. You can develop friendships and relationships through that work with a small community like that. That’s kind of special.

“You have the schools so you can work with the little kids and see them out there walking through the neighborhoods and see them in the actual schools in our jurisdictions.”

Tice graduated from Moon Area High School in 2008.

He became a journeyman carpenter and did security detail for the Pittsburgh Penguins before deciding to switch to a law enforcement career.

His father, Brian Tice, is an officer in the Robert Morris University Public Safety Department. His uncle, Tony Ferraro, is a retired state trooper.

Tice said they both gave him some pointers on the new profession.

“Pretty much just to stay safe,” Tice said of the advice. “Keep your guard up. You never know who you are going to encounter or what you’re going to encounter. Don’t get complacent. Things like that just to stay safe.”

A practitioner of wrestling and mixed martial arts, Tice plans to help train the department in some defensive tactics.

Training is something Edgeworth Police Chief John Burlett likes to stress.

He said both Och and Tice have an outstanding work ethic and a lot to offer the force.

“I am proud to have these officers join the Edgeworth Department,” Burlett said. “(Och) brings a lot of experience and special skills with him. Officer Tice does not have as much experience, only five years, but he brings a lot of enthusiasm and willingness to learn to further his career in law enforcement. … Officer Tice has a background in martial arts and will be going to classes to be a instructor for police officers.

“Both have that community policing attitude that the residents of Edgeworth welcome and deserve.”

Five people applied for the positions. Two of them did not meet some of the requirements, such as having a bachelor’s degree or five years full-time police experience. Another applicant failed required testing. Starting salary is $32.79 per hour.