Former Arnold police officer, chief takes over 'The Tomb' outreach ministry

Shannon Santucci served her hometown of Arnold as a police officer for 11 years and made history as the city’s first female police chief.

She resigned from the department as a sergeant in 2018, having been chief from June 2015 to January 2016.

“I miss patrolling,” Santucci said. “I miss the community and being involved with that.”

While continuing to work as a police officer in Fox Chapel Area School District since 2019, Santucci has found another way to give back to Arnold by taking over what was long known as Lazarus’ Tomb Coffeehouse, a community outreach ministry she calls simply “The Tomb.”

Lazarus’ Tomb was founded by Bob and Rosetta Lecocq in 1972. In 2012, it became Sheep Inc. and part of the Monroeville Assembly of God where their son, the Rev. Lance Lecocq, was a pastor before leaving the area for Missouri about two years ago.

Santucci, who has been involved with the ministry since 2011 and was the building’s coordinator for four years, said the church is gifting her the building at 1821 Fifth Ave. and everything in it. Following renovations, the building reopened in July.

“They felt that my heart was in Arnold,” she said. “I was born and raised here. I could do a lot of good things here.”

Santucci said she wasn’t sure why the church wanted out of The Tomb. A representative of Monroeville Assembly of God could not be reached for comment.

Rosetta Lecocq, 85, lives in Lower Burrell and remains involved with The Tomb. Her husband died in February 2011.

The couple started the coffeehouse in a Lower Burrell bowling alley. It has been in a dozen locations across Lower Burrell, New Kensington and Arnold over 50 years and at its present location since 2008.

“It’s just amazing how we were able to keep going,” Lecocq said. “We were never government funded. It was purely on people seeing what we were doing in the community and wanting to support us.”

Lecocq handed over control of the ministry to Monroeville Assembly of God in hopes of its long-term continuation in the community. When the church wanted out, Lecocq said she knew Santucci would be the right person to step in.

“I had always hoped it would go on. Something like that can get into the wrong hands and go the wrong way. I always hoped and prayed that it would go to somebody who had the right motives and had the ministry at heart. It’s happened with Shannon,” she said.

“She has the ministry in her heart. She has the right motives. It’s not political. It’s not for herself,” Lecocq said. “I’m happy. I’m thrilled it’s landed with her and she’s accepted.”

Santucci says Lecocq is her mentor.

“I love her like my mom,” she said. “She’s my voice of reason and encouragement.”

Santucci’s work on renovating the building has been done largely with the help and support of donations and volunteers. The only thing they had to pay for was a new three-bowl sink that was needed in the kitchen. The decor includes artwork by students at Hartwood Elementary School in Indiana Township, where Santucci works.

“It’s amazing what flooring and a coat of paint will do,” she said. “We’ve just been blessed over and over and over again.”

The work isn’t finished, as there are plans to revamp the ceiling inside and paint the front of the building.

Santucci wants The Tomb to be a community outreach center where free lunches, breakfast and concerts are offered. She wants to start afterschool tutoring and life skills programs and make the space available for small functions.

If there is something someone needs that The Tomb doesn’t have, Santucci said they’ll know where to refer them.

“We want to be a blessing to the community,” she said.

Santucci’s motivations are her love for the Arnold community and desire to be part of making a difference.

“We are able to come in here and worship and pray for the city, for better things to come for the city,” she said. “There’s so much potential here. It’s sad to see the city fall apart. I want to make Arnold like it was when I was growing up.”

Santucci said her plans for The Tomb aren’t set in stone. What they’ll be able to do will depend on support from donors and volunteers. Volunteers are needed for tutoring, preparing food, chaperoning and overseeing functions.

“We want small programs to be successful before we start thinking bigger,” she said. “The vision is to get more people in here. We’re very pleased with it and excited to see what the future holds.”

A celebration of The Tomb’s 50th anniversary is being planned for October. It will include a gathering there on Friday, Oct. 21, and a performance by Risen to Save, a contemporary Christian band from Lower Burrell, on Saturday, Oct. 29.