Borough council appoints new police chief
WAYNESBURG – Waynesburg Borough Council announced earlier this week that the borough police department will soon have a new chief.
The council announced Monday that Patrolman Robert Toth will be promoted to chief and will replace longtime chief Tim Hawfield, who will be retiring in July. Hawfield has been with the borough police department for more than 34 years and has served as police chief for the past 32 years.
After Hawfield announced that he was retiring, the borough council agreed to let the borough’s Civil Service Commission test officers in the borough police department who would be eligible for promotion to replace Hawfield. Toth was one of two eligible borough police officers who were interviewed for the position.
Toth has been with the police department for nearly 17 years and has served as patrolman and criminal investigator for the department.
Toth said he is looking forward to serving as the borough’s new police chief.
“I am excited about it,” he said Wednesday. “It is going to be a learning experience, and I am looking forward to the challenges that the position will bring. I am proud to be a police officer for this area, and I will do my best to continue serving the people at the high level of standards that is expected of us.”
He added that he is grateful for the opportunity to continue building on what Hawfield has done for the precinct.
“Chief (Hawfield) did a great job building this precinct and expanding it to a much more professional level,” Toth said. “Hopefully I will be able to continue what he worked so hard to achieve here.”
Hawfield said the promotion is significant for the precinct, and he believes Toth will succeed in his new position.
“He has proven himself as a competent and professional patrolman and criminal investigator,” Hawfield said. “We are very proud of being police officers and we consider ourselves a professional police department… and he (Toth) exemplifies the character of this precinct.”
Toth attended the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Criminal Justice Training Center, and prior to serving with the borough police department he was an officer for the Hanover Township Police Department and a deputy sheriff for the Greene County Sheriff’s office.
He also served as chief detective for the Greene County District Attorney’s office, as well as on the Greene County DUI and Drug Task Forces.
Toth has received numerous accolades, commendations and awards over the years. He received several honors in 2010 for his efforts in assisting emergency personnel with the Avalon Court building fire that occurred in Waynesburg.
He was presented with the Meritorious Service and Life Saving plaque and medals by the borough, the E.K.P. Memorial Valor Award by the Western Pennsylvania Firemen’s Association, and the Earl Dundore Memorial Civilian Humanitarian Service Award by the Firemen’s Association of the State of Pennsylvania. He was also nominated for the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission Award.
In May 2005, Toth received a commendation from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement “for perseverance in connection with an arrest and investigation that led to the incarceration and subsequent deportation of an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.”
He also received a commendation in 1998 from the county district attorney’s office drug task force “for superior knowledge of drug law enforcement that assisted in the arrest of 13 individuals who conspired to operate a mid-level heroin distribution organization.”
As police chief, Toth will oversee 10 full-time and part-time police officers on staff.
Borough council also announced Monday that Michael Simms of Waynesburg has been hired as the new borough manager.
Simms, who is currently employed as director of Greene County Domestic Relations, will replace current borough manager Bruce Wermlinger, who will be stepping down from the position and moving to North Carolina in August.
Simms was one of eight applicants who applied for the position.