Jefferson Hills Police Chief Gene Roach retiring after nearly 40-year career

Jefferson Hills police Chief Gene Roach is calling it a career after nearly 40 years in law enforcement.

“It doesn’t seem like that much time has elapsed,” Roach said Monday. “As I look back on it now, 39 years is a long time, more than half of my life. It was quite a ride.”

Roach, 61, grew up in Washington. He said his relatives were not officers, and police work was something that just caught his interest.

“I just felt it was a direction that I wanted to go,” Roach said.

The Trinity High School grad studied at the University of Pittsburgh and earned a bachelor’s degree in administration of justice in 1981.

His law enforcement career would start the following year as a full-time officer for the North Fayette Township Police Department.

Roach said there were about 10 officers there at the time, and it was a very educational experience.

He would parlay that experience into a job at Mt. Lebanon, where Roach rose through the ranks and departed the force as deputy chief after serving 25 years.

Roach said Mt. Lebanon had about 50 officers and time and more opportunity for advancement than smaller departments. He also earned a masters in strategic leadership from Mountain State University while working there.

Roach moved from South Fayette, where he lived while working for Mt. Lebanon, to Jefferson Hills to take a job as head of the police department January 2011

Living in the borough was one of the requirements of the job. He has been with the department the past nine years. His last day is Dec. 30.

Roach said he is retiring at a point where he still feels healthy and capable to do things like travel with is wife of 25 years, Geri, and spend more time with the family.

“I wasn’t concerned about trying to meet any kind of goals for time,” Roach said about his career. “It felt like it was the right time.”

Unfortunately, 2020 has not been the best sendoff year with the world still fighting the covid pandemic, and Jefferson Hills still feeling the loss of officer Dale Provins, who died of injuries sustained in a vehicle crash.

Provins, a 15-year veteran with the department, crashed head-on into another vehicle along Old Clairton Road on June 3. He succumbed to his injuries June 13. The borough has yet to hire a replacement.

A Homestead man has been charged with several crimes as a result of the crash.

“It was not a really great last year in my career,” Roach said. “That probably sticks out more than anything, if nothing else because it’s so recent.”

Lt. James King will serve as the officer in charge while Jefferson Hills searches for its new chief.

King has served the borough since 2007 and offered a virtual send off for the departing department head during this month’s online council meeting.

“You’ll be missed and please keep your phone on,” King said. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for us.”

Council members also offered their congratulations to Roach.

The Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association was brought in as a consultant to assist borough officials in the state and region-wide search for Roach’s successor. There is no deadline to hire a new chief.

“We’re just getting started,” said borough Manager John Stinner, who noted the next chief will have his or her work cut out for them.

“Gene Roach is a consummate professional and public servant,” said Stinner. “He really sets the standard as to how to be a public servant and officer of the law. Chief Roach is a fantastic human being.”

Roach offered words of encouragement to anyone considering becoming an officer.

“No matter what’s going on in this world today, and people have different opinions about the police, I still think it’s a good carer for those to get involved in it. I wouldn’t change it and I would continue to encourage (going in law enforcement). It’s going to offer you some opportunities that you might not be able to get in another industry or another job. It’s a good career.”