Wakeman hires 'adopted son' as new police chief

WAKEMAN — This guy can do it all. He can arrest you on Friday night then forgive you Sunday morning. Jim Rico was sworn in Wednesday night as new police chief in Wakeman. A resident of the village for nine years, Rico is a cop by day and he also is pastor of Florence Church. Mayor Chris Hipp swore in Rico in front of a packed house of about 60 people. "I think this has been a great process," Hipp said. "Many candidates ... they all brought something to the table. "It has been a long time since our chief has lived in the village. I have never seen a crowd like this, even for a council meeting. We know how special Jim is." Hipp said there will be a learning curve, but said Rico is the right fit. "This has been a tough four months (the hiring process)," he siad. "I think this is going to be exciting." Rico, 48, who retired as a Lorain County Sheriff's deputy after 27 years, said he is ready for this new challenge. "Thank you all for coming," he said. "I didn't realize I was going to be adopted by a town. I was adopted by this town. I just want you all to know from now on, at least until when I'm not the chief anymore, the laws of the village will be guarded by an adopted son of you guys. "I can't be any more humble and any more appreciative of that. I will do the best I can to make it work. I never thought I could be humbled like this." Rico and his wife, Rachael, have two children — a son, Daniel, 18, and a daughter, Madelyn, 9. Rico said he was in the right place at the right time. "It started with just talk then they said 'hey, you have an interview next week.' Before I knew it, here I am," he said with a laugh. How about mixing his two professions? "I can arrest you on Friday and forgive you right then," he said. "If you handle police work the right way it is not that far of a stretch. I am not a particularly special holy man but I try to live right in both my personal life, my police life and my pastor life. "A lot of people say, boy, a policeman and a pastor is a stark contrast." Rico doesn't think so. "A challenge I'm sure it will be," he said. "You have to be patient. I approach this the same way I approach my pastorship. You build relationships and that way when you are in a jam or someone else is in a jam you already have that. "Keep in mind it is impossible to know everybody in town — but I am going to try." It was a quick turnaround for Rico. After the ceremony somebody asked him when is he going to start. "7 a.m. tomorrow," he said with a big smile.