SMPD promotes Nero to sergeant
ST. MARYS - The City of St. Marys Police Department’s newest sergeant, Andrew Nero, was officially introduced to St. Marys City Council during their regular monthly meeting on Monday evening.
A large crowd of supporters, including family and fellow SMPD co-workers, were in attendance at the meeting where SMPD Chief Tom Nicklas offered a few comments regarding Nero’s promotion process.
Sgt. Nero has been with SMPD for over eight years. He was hired part-time in August 2014 and promoted to full-time in January 2015. Nicklas said Nero is excited to serve as first line supervisor for SMPD.
According to Nicklas, in 2022, SMPD piloted a 12-hour shift schedule at the request of the officers. This required breaking the officers into four teams. The previous eight-hour shifts required only three teams, with three sergeants leading each shift. The most senior patrolman was put into the sergeant role pending the decision to stay with 12-hour shifts, or return to eight-hour days.
When the officers overwhelmingly chose to stay with 12-hour shifts, SMPD initiated the civil service promotion process. The City of St. Marys Police Civil Service Commission managed the written exam and oral interview. Performance on these tests were combined to establish a promotion eligibility list. Five police officers participated in the promotion process.
“It is important to state that all of these officers possessed individual skill sets and were capable of performing the role of sergeant,” Nicklas said. “All of the testing participants are representative of the excellent law enforcement team at SMPD.”
As a result of the promotion process Nero was selected to be the newest sergeant for SMPD.