Mayor Light hires new safety-service director

NORWALK — Mayor Dave Light has hired Charles "Mike" White as his new safety-service director. White comes to Norwalk with a broad range of experience with 30 years in law enforcement working through the ranks as patrol officer, patrol supervisor, chief of detectives and chief of police. He is a published author in the area of ethics and budget and has contributed to and cited in Management and Supervision of Law Enforcement 6th edition. Most recently he is a professor at Tiffin University teaching criminal justice. White comes to the city with a PhD in public safety leadership, master of science in criminal justice, bachelor's degree in public administration. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Police Executive Leadership College, Sandusky Police Academy and is a certified polygraph examiner. Over the years, White was the chief detective at the Norwalk Police Department and the police chief of the Monroeville Police Department. He was employed as an independent contractor for the Department of Defense in Baghdad, Iraq. He then turned his expertise into investigating major crimes in Liberia with the Liberian National Police Force. He developed and delivered the curriculum for laws relating to search and seizure training for the Liberian National Police and newly arriving international officers. The United Nations continues to use the training. He is a published author writing curriculum for the Baghdad Police College. White said he is excited to come back to where his public service days first began. In 1983, he was hired as a Norwalk police reserve officer and went full-time with the force in 1986. He fondly recalled back in the day when he was Light's boss when they were colleagues of one another at the police department. "We already know that we work well together as a team and I am humbled to be appointed into this position," White said. "Or maybe he hired me to get even with me." He said he is very motivated to begin this new chapter and plans on getting to know the employees first and what their responsibilities entail. "The goal is to provide the most effective and efficient services to the citizens of Norwalk," White said. "It's a journey — never a destination." Mike's wife is Denise. Their sons are Mike, Mark and Mitch who all live and work in the Norwalk area. "I have full faith and confidence in Mike. His education, experience and common-sense approach to problem-solving will be a valuable asset for the city," Light said. "He's a real team player. I'm looking forward to working with him." White will begin April 26.