LORAIN — Lorain will get a new police chief later this month.
Michael Failing, the current deputy chief, will take full command of the department during a swearing-in ceremony on Sept. 15, pending the Civil Service Commission’s establishment of the eligibility list for the position at its meeting on Sept. 9.
Failing, a 30-year department veteran, will succeed Jim McCann, who will retire under a separation agreement with the city.
It was an unexpected turn in his career, he said Friday evening.
“It really hasn’t hit me,” he admitted. “I’m still doing the same job I’ve been doing — I just moved offices the other day.”
Failing has been the acting chief since June, when McCann was placed on paid administrative leave as part of his separation agreement. During that time, Failing led the department through the first officer killed in the line of duty in more than 101 years.
On July 23, a lone gunman ambushed and shot officers Phillip Wagner, Peter Gale, and Brent Payne. Wagner, 35, of North Ridgeville, was severely injured and died the following day. Officers Gale and Payne were injured and treated at Cleveland MetroHealth Medical Center.
“We’re still dealing with the aftermath of that,” said the new chief.
“I’m excited but it hasn’t really hit me.”
Failing and Capt. AJ Mathewson were the only officers eligible to take the chief’s exam. According to the uncertified eligibility list, failing scored 89.44 points, while Mathewson scored 84.17 points on the test administered on August 30.
Failing stated that he looks forward to working with soon-to-be Deputy Chief Mathewson over the next several years.
Captain Jacob Morris was ineligible because he had not been a captain for at least two years.
Mayor Jack Bradley said he believed Failing was the best candidate for the job.
“He certainly demonstrated his ability during the tragedy that happened to our three police officers,” Mr. Bradley said. “He demonstrated his abilities in a stressful situation that cannot be anticipated. … I’ve been very pleased with his community engagement since he became acting chief — he and his wife (LeeAnne) have attended almost every event in the city that required our chief’s presence.”
The city contracted with the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police to conduct the examination. It paid the OACP $5,900 for administering the assessment.
The same group conducted the assessment when Jim McCann became police chief in 2019.
McCann succeeded longtime Chief Cel Rivera after outperforming then-fellow police Captain Roger Watkins on the OACP exam following Rivera’s retirement. Watkins now works for the Sheffield Lake Police. Failing was ineligible to take the chief’s test in 2019 because he had not served as captain in two years.
Failing’s annual salary will be approximately $168,000, which includes a base pay of $125,000, a 12% rank differential, and $28,000 in longevity pay.
Failure to promote will set off a chain reaction of events in the department. At the City Council meeting on September 15, Lt. Tim Thompson will be sworn in as captain, Sgt. Andrew Greszler as a lieutenant, and officer Brian Andreas as a sergeant, all alongside the new chief.
