Ross Ready To Begin New Duties

The Trenton Police Department has a new chief, but the face filling the role is certainly not new.
Lt. Rex Ross was hired by the Trenton City Council on Friday, Aug. 31 to be the city’s next police chief, effective immediately. His salary will be $53,135.
A 29-year veteran of the local police department, Ross has been serving as chief on an interim basis since June 29, when Tommy Wright left the position.
“I’m happy to be selected as the new police chief and I’m ready to get started in this role on a permanent basis,” he said.
Ross was serving as interim police chief for the second time, having filled the role when Police Chief Bob Lewis left the department in 2012. At the time, Ross wasn’t quite sure he was ready to move up to the chief’s job due to several things going on at the time, both publicly and privately. But with those things out of the way, Ross said he felt now was the time to take the next step.
“I really just didn’t feel like at the time I was in a place where I could do the job like it needed to be done,” Ross said. “But now having been the interim chief twice and with some things that are now different for me personally, I felt like the timing was right for me to apply.”
Ross won’t need a “breaking-in period” to get to know personnel and learn how the office is run. However, he notes it will take a little time for him to adjust to his new day-to-day duties.
“As the lieutenant, my role was more of dealing with the officers on a daily basis, making sure things were running smoothly, which I will still be doing,” he said. “But my role will grow on the administrative side of things, seeing what the city and the council want and making those things happen.”
Ross is a big advocate of community involvement and said he plans for both himself and the department to continue having a public presence.
“While I know we work for the community, I also want to make sure we continue to work with the community,” he said. “There are many partnerships out there that are beneficial to all of us and I would like to see us continue several of the community events we already have (Cops-N-Bobbers, Shop With a Cop, etc) and maybe even add some more.”
And don’t be surprised to see Ross working a shift every now and then.
“I wouldn’t mind doing that every once in a while,” Ross said. “A lot of it would depend on timing and if I could work it in with my job as chief. But yes, I think I would really enjoy it. And if we get shorthanded, you do what you have to do.”
Ross was selected from among two of candidates interviewed for the job. The city received five applications for the position.
The vote to hire Ross as police chief was 6-2, with councilmen William Fisher and Larry Crawford voting no. Fisher, Crawford and David Mlika were the three no votes on the council when setting Ross’ salary.