A well respected veteran law enforcement officer, Melisz the new police chief in Village of Blasdell
By STEVE DLUGOSZ
Sun correspondent reporter
As a veteran in law enforcement, Michael Melisz is no stranger to the Southtowns, having served for nearly 20 years in various capacities with the Village of Hamburg Police Department.
Melisz is looking to put that experience to good use in the Village of Blasdell after being officially promoted last month as the village’s new chief of police.
Melisz, who was appointed to the post Feb. 24, has worked since last August as a police lieutenant in Blasdell in addition to his full-time duties as police captain in the Village of Hamburg.
Melisz’s previous duties with Blasdell saw him work a regular part-time position that is based on at least 20 hours per week.
The position of police chief is new to the structure of Blasdell’s police department following a decision last year by the Blasdell Village Board to retain the existing police force and forgo any discussions to abolish the department and contract the Town of Hamburg for police services.
Melisz replaced Robert Krone as Blasdell’s officer in charge/lieutenant and has impressed various village officials with his work over the past seven months.
Blasdell Village Trustee David Adrian, who serves as the “contract trustee” for the police department, noted several positive trends in Blasdell since Melisz’s takeover last summer, including a reduction in operating costs, increases in efficiency and retention of safety.
Specific progressions include eliminating overtime work except for holidays, a measure requested and approved by the board; an increase of judicial summons of 150 percent; the number of driving while intoxicated and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle cases each doubling; and the installation of a department detective and accident investigation officer, as well as the addition of a fire investigation service through the Erie County Sheriff’s Department at no cost to the village.
Adrian stated that DWI and AUO traffic stops, as well as speeding tickets, result in increased village revenue to help maintain services, as well as emphasize pedestrian safety and regulate areas undergoing improvement construction.
“The average speed of vehicles traveling in the village’s 35 mile-per-hour speed zone is about 42 miles per hour,” said Adrian. “The main focus is safety. We want the Village of Blasdell to be known as an area where speeding will not be tolerated. The comparison of data from before (Melisz) started and to where it is now is striking.”
Melisz has also helped implement some modifications to the rules and regulations of the police department, which recently received an infusion of younger officers, whose ages range from early 20s into the late 30s, were hired.
In addition, foot patrols have been established and two patrol cars are normally seen on duty.
“Department morale has been really high these days,” noted Melisz, a graduate of Lackawanna High School. “We’ve had a whole new outlook. In a small police department like this, we want to be more proactive.”
Melisz added that he expects his 18 years of department experience in the Village of Hamburg to come in handy in future law enforcement issues in Blasdell.
Mayor Ernest J. Jewett expressed satisfaction in Melisz’s promotion, congratulating the new police chief for “a job well done.”
Prior to 2006, village police services were contracted through the Town of Hamburg Police Department.
After re-creating its own police department, Blasdell saw its revenue through vehicle and traffic stops and penal cases drop significantly over three years, as less arrests were made and fewer speeding tickets were issued.
However, since Melisz has helped oversee the department, summons have seen a steady upward spike.
Melisz plans to continue working his normal full-time job as police captain for the Village of Hamburg, serving as that municipality’s second-in-command to Police Chief Dennis Gleason.
Although Adrian cautioned that village police are not “out to get” traveling motorists, they will enforce a safety-first attitude with the hope of establishing overall order.
“It’s all about respect,” Adrian said.
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