Veteran Greensburg officer promoted to police chief

Thirty-two years after he started on Greensburg’s police force, Robert Stafford now is chief of the city’s 25-member department.

Greensburg Council on Monday unanimously approved the promotion. Stafford, 56, succeeds Chad Zucco, who resigned in March after four years leading the department. Stafford takes over his new role immediately.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge. It’s definitely challenging in these times,” said Stafford, who has been the department’s captain since April 2016. Stafford was a lieutenant on the force when he was promoted to captain in April 2016, after Zucco was promoted from captain to chief in March 2016.

With the promotion, Stafford’s annual salary will increase from $114,214, to $124,113. Both of those totals include the officer’s base pay and longevity pay that officers receive.

Stafford was congratulated by Zucco and several officers attending the meeting, as well as his family members.

Mayor Robert Bell said council selected Stafford because of his experience on the police force and his work training and developing younger officers.

“I think he will be great,” Bell said.

Stafford was hired in July 1988, when Dan Fajt was mayor and Raymond Attenberger was chief. He started on the police force before some of the younger officers were born, Bell noted.

Stafford previously applied for the chief’s job in 2016, when Zucco was hired to replace Walter J. “Wally” Lyons, who retired.

Lt. Robert Jones also had sought the chief’s job.

“Both (officers) are really good,” Bell said.

With Stafford’s promotion, Bell said the city will seek candidates for the captain’s position “right away.” To be eligible for the captain’s job, officers must have at least three years of supervisory experience, Bell said. There are “quite a few officers” who are eligible to apply for the job, the mayor said.

Bell said he would like to hire two new officers — to replace Zucco, who resigned, and Peter Sandberg, who retired in October. The department has conducted tests for a police officer, but Bell said he did not know if it could be done this year because revenue has declined.

Councilman Randall Finfrock reported Greensburg’s revenue is down by 4%, while expenditures are down by 5%, because of covid-19.

“There’s no way we can meet the revenue projections,” for this year, Finfrock said.