Wauseon will lose its longtime police chief in August to another city position.
Keith Torbet has been appointed by Mayor Kathy Huner to fill the vacancy being left by Public Service Director Dennis Richardson, who is retiring Sept. 1. Torbet will leave the police force Aug. 1 to work with Richardson for a month before taking over the office.
No replacement for Torbet has been named. His position will first be posted internally for two weeks.
A member of the city police department since 1984, Torbet began as an auxiliary police officer before being hired full-time in 1987. He was named assistant chief in 2000, and promoted to chief three years later.
“I was at the point where I was looking to do something different,” he said. “This was an opportunity to stay with the city and give myself different challenges…I’m looking forward to the challenge but it’s hard to say goodbye.”
Torbet said it’s hoped a new police chief will be named in July.
More information will be available in the June 18 issue of the Expositor.
