Plain City Mayor Jody Carney, at center, presented Plain City Police Department Chief Dale McKee with a proclamation Monday recognizing 25 years of full-time service to the village. Village Administrator Haley Lupton is also pictured applauding at left. Carney said McKee “has positively impacted multitudes of Plain City residents with his kind actions,” while Lt. Tom Jaskiewicz added that McKee serves the community “faithfully, honorably and with integrity every day.”
(Journal-Tribune photo by Kayleen Petrovia)
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PCPD Chief Dale McKee is pictured early in his career, which began with service as an auxiliary officer in August 1996. April 9 marked 25 years of full-time service with the department for McKee, who was hired as full-time officer in 1998. Lt. Tom Jaskiewicz said the photo above is believed to be from 1998 or 1999.
(Photo submitted)
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Council chambers were full Monday evening as community members gathered to recognize the dedication of Plain City’s longest serving employee, Police Chief Dale McKee.
Village officials recognized McKee’s 25 years of full-time service with the Plain City Police Department, whose career actually began two years earlier when he was balancing work as an unpaid auxiliary officer with another full-time job.
“I remember telling my chief at that time that I couldn’t wait to get up in the morning and put on my uniform and go to work,” McKee said.
He said he initially dreamed of working with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and passed the cadet test when he was 18 years old.
To work as a trooper, though, you must be 21 years old. In the meantime, McKee accepted a job offer from his father’s friend to work for a large construction company.
In his mid-20s, McKee said he decided that he wanted to go back to his pursuit of a career in law enforcement. He attended the police academy in 1995 before he began working with PCPD in an auxiliary role.
Although he enjoyed his construction job, McKee said starting with PCPD reaffirmed his feelings that he was meant to serve in law enforcement.
Even between balancing the two jobs, he said he regularly stayed after his shift to shadow and work with other officers and continue learning.
McKee said his chief at the time, Steve Hilbert, told him that in one month he put in more hours than some of the full-time officers at the department.
He said he worked hard to gain more and more experience, even though it wasn’t originally with the goal of moving up at PCPD.
McKee said he grew up in Delaware County, so, early in his law enforcement career, he hoped to one day work for the Sheriff’s Office there.
He had interviews for positions with the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and Plain City Police Department on the same day, and chose to stay with PCPD.
McKee said he believed in what Hilbert stood for as chief of the department and felt their passion for community policing aligned.
In a smaller department, McKee said he also felt he would have more of an opportunity to get to know people and form relationships throughout the community.
McKee said he has carried that mentality and the lessons he learned from Hilbert throughout his career, which includes being promoted to sergeant in 2004 before being appointed as chief in 2015.
His proudest accomplishments at PCPD revolve around the department’s outreach programming.
He highlighted work with the local school district, which includes students of all ages.
PCPD officers read to students in all Jonathan Alder school buildings, regardless of whether they are within the department’s jurisdiction.
At the high school, officers host the Pioneer Project, which teaches students about the dangers of drunk driving, as well as a New-Behind-the-Wheel class to help young drivers be more prepared to hit the road safely.
Officers also teach active shooter trainings within district buildings.
McKee said he is also proud of the department’s self-defense classes for women, which aim to empower women to take control of their own safety, as well as physically defend themselves if necessary.
The chief noted that he was also able to bring back the department’s K9 program, which costed $90,000, with only donations and no taxpayer dollars.
McKee credited many of his accomplishments to the support of those around him.
He became emotional Monday night as he thanked his family, emphasizing that law enforcement officers’ spouses and children face special challenges because of their loved one’s occupation.
McKee also credited the department’s current officers, which he said are “more of a family to me than just officers.”
“The younger guys are more like sons to me and the older guys are more like my brothers,” he said.
McKee said he is also thankful for a group of council members that support the police department. He said he appreciates their willingness to question PCPD’s propositions, while working to understand their needs.
Overall, McKee said it is rewarding to see the community become safer under his leadership, even as the village continues to grow.
When he started as an auxiliary officer, McKee said “we were running from call to call, there was a lot of domestic violence.” Now, he said crime is down.
After nearly three decades of service, McKee said he feels confident that PCPD is where he belongs.
He recalled a time in 2015, while he was still a sergeant, when he was offered a position with another agency.
At that agency, he would have weekends off and would not be required to work holidays.
McKee said he toiled over the offer because he loved Plain City, but wanted to be able to spend more time with his family.
He took 10 days off work – the longest vacation he had taken in his entire career – to consider his future.
He said he had many discussions with his wife and pastor regarding “the toughest decision of my career” before feeling like “something told me I had to stay here.”
Only a couple weeks later, then-Chief Jim Hill stepped down and McKee was appointed chief, which gave him all the benefits he would have had elsewhere.
He said he sees it as confirmation that he was meant to spend his career in the village.
“My heart was always in Plain City,” McKee said.