City of Bellefontaine names new permanent police chief

BELLEFONTAINE — The next permanent police chief for the city of Bellefontaine was named and subsequently appointed following an exhaustive testing and interview process.

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Chris Marlow was appointed as the next permanent police chief after he served as the interim-chief since Brandon Standley’s retirement on April 7, 2023.

Prior to being appointed, Marlow underwent an exhaustive testing and interview process by the Bellefontaine Civil Service Service Commission.

“Although Ohio Revised Code and Civil Service Rules dictated the process for identifying and selecting our next Police Chief, we were very blessed to have multiple, highly qualified candidates within our Police Department apply for the position,” Mayor Stahler commented. “I’m pleased to be able to offer the job to Chris Marlow—he is a homegrown candidate who has dedicated his career to the City of Bellefontaine, and I look forward to his continued good work in the police department.”

“This was an extremely competitive process and there was very small margin of difference between the two candidates. Either one of them would be fine choices as the next head of our police department. I’d like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to Sergeant Jason Lapp for his participation in this process and his continued service to the community,” Stahler continued.

Marlow served the Bellefontaine Police Department for the last 26 years—the last four years as Lieutenant and Chief Executive Officer.

His decades of experience also included positions as Patrolman, K-9 Handler, Sergeant, and Special Response Team Leader.

He obtained his B.S. in Criminal Justice/Leadership from Urbana University and his M.S. in Criminal Justice Administration from Tiffin University. Marlow is also a graduate of the Police Executive Leadership College and the Certified Law Enforcement Executive Program.

“Having had the opportunity to serve as the Interim Chief and now actually being named the Chief is quite an honor and I am beyond humbled at this opportunity. I am proud to call myself a servant of the community, our dispatchers, and our officers. Having been a member of this department for the entirety of my nearly 27-year career and having filled various roles within agency gives me a unique perspective to assist our men and women as we head into the future of policing. In the near term, my hope is that the community at large does not notice much of a change as we intend to continue to fully commit ourselves to the city and its safety, for every resident and visitor that lives, works, or plays here. There are a lot of positive things happening in the community, and our agency will be a part of that positivity as the place we call home continues to evolve,” Marlow said.

Marlow was to receive the oath of office in a public ceremony in City Council Chambers on Friday, June 23.

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