New officer joins Norwalk police

NORWALK — The Norwalk Police Department added a new officer to its ranks Monday, swearing in Matt Wilson, a lateral hire who brings prior experience from the Woodville Police Department. Wilson, who most recently worked full-time in Woodville until last week, said the move to Norwalk was driven by both proximity and opportunity. "Norwalk is a lot closer to home, a lot busier, a lot more things to do," Wilson said. He said he is looking forward to the pace of the job, especially in the months ahead. "Summertime in law enforcement was very fun," Wilson said. "I think there'll be a lot of new experiences that I'll be able to learn from in the summer. The summers are usually very busy." Wilson graduated from Bowling Green State University with a degree in criminal justice and forensic investigation and completed the police academy at EHOVE. He said he plans to relocate closer to Norwalk in the near future. "I'll definitely be moving out here," Wilson said. "Most of my family's already out here … all closer than where I'm at in Woodville." He also had an application pending with the Sandusky County Sheriff's Office before accepting the Norwalk position. Asked what he would like to say to residents, Wilson kept it simple. "I'm just happy to be here," he said. "It's a busy town, with a lot of nice people." Norwalk police Chief Scott Dahlgren said the department is encouraged to bring in an officer with prior experience as it continues to address staffing levels. "He came with a couple years from Woodville Police Department, so he brings us some more experience," Dahlgren said. "He's not necessarily a fresh start, which is nice." Dahlgren said Wilson stood out during the hiring process. "He kind of set himself above," Dahlgren said. "Not only with prior experience, but he's continued to grow himself as an officer." The chief said Wilson expressed a desire to build a long-term career in a city department. "He wants to be in the city and have something that would be more of a career, where he could stay," Dahlgren said. The hire comes as the department continues to manage staffing changes. "We are losing one officer to the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office in a couple weeks," Dahlgren said. "So we're excited to bring someone in." The department recently held testing for additional hires and expects to move forward with interviews soon. "Hopefully by the end of the week we'll know how many have passed," Dahlgren said. "We're excited about what the future continues to hold for our department."