CIRCLEVILLE, OH – The City of Circleville has announced the appointment of Paul Pride, a retired Superintendent of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, as its new Safety Director. Pride, who has been working as a consultant for the city since mid-2024, will transition to the full-time role on June 1st, tasked with overhauling the Circleville Police Department.
Pride’s hiring comes after a critical assessment of the police department, conducted at the request of the City Council. Council and the City initiated the consultancy in August 2024, aiming to address concerns regarding the department’s operations, training, and community relations. Pride, a 7-year Marine veteran and decorated 30-year veteran of the OSHP, presented his findings to the council in November 2024, revealing significant deficiencies.
“Training has been neglected in your police department,” Pride stated in his report. He highlighted the department’s young officer demographic, with an average service time of only two years, and cited a lack of understanding of basic procedures and protocols. “This is not their fault. This is a failure of the previous administration,” he emphasized. Pride also pointed to the absence of a proper follow-up system for daily tasks and the need for improvements to the police department’s facilities. You can watch the report to the council below that occurred last year.
Mayor Michelle Blanton confirmed the appointment, stating that Pride will transition from his consultant role to Safety Director. “Paul probably will be our next director of public safety,” she announced during a council meeting.
Pride’s extensive experience with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, where he served from 1989 to 2019, includes roles as a road patrol officer, district commander, assistant superintendent, and ultimately, superintendent. City officials are confident that his leadership and expertise will be instrumental in addressing the identified issues and rebuilding the Circleville Police Department.
“He will have a city email address so that you can reach out to him and set up any meetings and ask any questions,” Mayor Blanton informed the public. “He will officially start on June the first.”
Pride will be the third safety director hired by the city under Blanton.
The appointment marks a significant step towards reforming the Circleville Police Department and ensuring the safety and well-being of the community.
