Harrisville chief talks challenges, career change
Jeff Hollidge, chief of the Harrisville Borough Police Department, has been working in law enforcement for more than 12 years.
In his experience, the best advice he could give to a young officer is to recognize that there are more supporters of police than critics.
“The smaller percentage of negative people that maybe don’t support law enforcement, you kind of have to not take how they feel personally,” Hollidge said.
And while that criticism often comes from a place of misunderstanding, he said, it can be devastating to officers, both new and experienced.
“You have a few non-supporters of police that, so to speak, attack things that you do and maybe not completely understand what we do and why we do things,” Hollidge said. “That can be really hard on officers — especially newer officers that don’t fully understand why people are saying things or doing things.”
The advice, he said, was something he learned himself as he began his own career.
“You know, actually, I went through that as well,” Hollidge said. “I was so hard on myself, because at certain times people that may not understand the police, don’t support policing, they would say things or do things, and I would kind of take it personally and be really hard on myself and get down on myself.”
The support and encouragement of his superiors, though, helped him recognize and value the work he was doing.
“There’s a lot more people out there that support you than don’t support you,” Hollidge said. “You’ve got to appreciate those people; you’ve got to appreciate the support that they provide.”
And the Harrisville community, he said, has shown him and his officers nothing but support.
“It seems as though most of the community is supportive and backing of the police department,” Hollidge said. “That’s all we can ask for, is support from the community, because we try our best each and every day to do everything possible to make sure this community is safe.”
Hollidge said he initially pursued a career in law enforcement inspired by his family.
“My family has been around the medical and law enforcement fields ever since I was a young child,” he said. “Just being around that type of stuff throughout my life, it really kind of intrigued me, and it’s just something that I wanted to do when I got older.”
After graduating from police academy, he took his first job at the Thiel College Police Department before moving on to the Emlenton Borough Police Department.
“Then the Venango County Sheriff’s Office, and then my current position at Harrisville Borough Police Department,” Hollidge said.
In 2020, as the pandemic spurred a national teacher shortage, Hollidge said he dedicated himself to education, enrolling in Slippery Rock University’s early childhood and special education programs.
“This has been, and continues to be, the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” he said, “but it’s definitely going to be very rewarding and worthwhile when it’s all done.”
While balancing a 4.0 GPA and his responsibilities as police chief, Hollidge said he is always certain to make time for his wife, Eva, and his two young children — the people that inspired his career change.
“I also have to make sure that I save that family time also, especially having young children — I don’t want them to be affected negatively by this in any way,” he said.
And in addition to his responsibilities to the borough as chief, Hollidge assists nearby Marion Township as part of a regional agreement between the municipalities.
According to chairman Jason McBride, Marion Township supervisor, Hollidge has been no less dedicated to the department’s work while balancing these commitments.
“Unbelievable, he has done a phenomenal job,” McBride said. “These guys are trying to get the extra training they need, they’re on the ball.”
Harrisville Mayor Gary Hughes said that the last time he spoke with Hollidge, he had straight A’s.
McBride reiterated that Hollidge’s work and dedication as an officer, a student and a family man go “above and beyond at every turn.”
“Jeff has a bright future,” McBride said.
