One chief’s decision to switch jobs left St. Marys city officials looking to staff an important position.
It’s one they filled without having to search outside the department.
We met up with the new chief who was just announced on Monday.
He’s new to the job, but not new to the area. The chief says St. Marys is the only police department he’s ever worked in, and now he’s thrilled to be leading it.
After 9 years on patrol and 11 years as sergeant, Tom Nicklas has a new office and a new title.
“This is Day 2 of the job, so I’ve got a lot of acclimating things going on,” says Nicklas.
“We knew Police Chief [Todd] Caltagarone before and we wanted to welcome the new fella,” says well-wisher Ann Hackett, who stopped by to say hello to the new chief.
Nicklas, 44, originally from Spartansburg, Crawford County, says a friend suggested he try police work and it stuck. He enjoys helping people.
“Some people are going to revert back to their own habits and be repetitive in the system and that’s unfortunate, but we go out and we do the job that we’re trained to do,” says Nicklas.
“I was very happy when I came in looking at where our police force is and where it’s headed in the future so I thought we were headed in the right direction,” says city manager Tim Pearson.
Pearson, 44, an Air Force vet who just started in October, says his committee interviewed 5 internal candidates for the job with a $74,000 base salary.
This came after the former chief for nearly 12 years, Caltagarone, ran for and won the job of Elk County sheriff.
“What stood out to me for Tom was really that proven leadership and supervisory skills. He has been in that sergeant position. He has done a phenomenal job leading our other officers already,” says Pearson.
“I’m honored. I appreciate the city council and the manager for selecting me. We had all really good candidates in the process, so the fact that they chose me, of course it makes me feel good,” says Nicklas.
Nicklas says he’s working to get the department accredited by the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police.
“It ensures the community that this police department is working by the best accepted practices for police work,” says NIcklas.
Pearson says the police currently have 13 full-time officers and a $1.6-million budget. They cover about 100 square miles.