Butler council lauds police chief on earning doctorate
Butler City Council congratulated Bureau of Police Chief Bob O’Neill Thursday for earning a doctorate of education from Point Park University in leadership and administration with a concentration in professional leadership.
O’Neill began working toward the degree in July 2019 and finished recently with a 3.98 GPA.
His dissertation was titled “The Effect of Law Enforcement Leaders on Recruitment and Retention in Western Pennsylvania,“ which he defended successfully in August.
O’Neill said he wanted to earn his doctorate to implement policy that would not only help recruit law enforcement officers but retain them by increasing the emphasis on the work being a career.
“We’ve been having an unbelievable time hiring throughout the country for various reasons,” he said. “I think we have to come at this from a totally different angle. It has to be a profession; it can’t just be a job.”
O’Neill said he always has tried to create a professional culture in the Butler police department to ensure that employees enjoy working there and to increase retention.
Prior to earning his doctorate, O’Neill graduated with a master’s degree from Geneva College and completed his undergraduate at Duquesne University.
Butler Mayor Bob Dandoy said O’Neill is one of the only police chiefs — at least within this region — who has a doctorate degree, which is a point of pride for the city.
O’Neill started with the city on Nov. 1, 2018. The Adams Township resident previously worked as police chief for Adams Township and became a corporal and detective during his 17 years of employment with Cranberry Township police and worked for the Butler County Drug Task Force.
Also at the meeting, council offered an update on two projects, including the Sullivan Run flood mitigation project that affects West Brady Street bridge and the West Penn Street bridge.
Dandoy said the West Brady Street bridge will tentatively be completed by the end of the month. Fencing still must be installed to comply with Department of Environmental Protection regulations. He said some supply chain issues have held up the bridge’s opening.
“One of the things holding up the project is concrete,” Dandoy said. “We don’t really have a date for completion, but we are working through those issues.”
Additionally, Dandoy said the Main Street traffic project, which involves the updating of signal lights, will proceed in October. The lights are expected to be delivered in October.
In other business, council also discussed the possibility of keeping lights on in certain areas at city parks until around 9 p.m. Councilman Dan Herr said users of the pickleball and tennis courts at places like Ritts and Memorial parks have requested the lights stay on so people can still use them when the sun goes down.
The council may discuss further or make a decision about keeping the lights on for more hours at the next meeting on Sept. 22.
