The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Sheriff calls it a career
Daniel Dunlap, who served 46 years, 27 as sheriff, thanks community, staff
Almost 30 years ago, Daniel A. Dunlap asked Jan Clair, chairwoman of the Lake County Republican Party, if he should run for sheriff. She answered him bluntly. “You have possibilities,” she said. “You should go for it.”
Now, after 46 years of law enforcement service to the citizens of
Lake County, 27 of those as sheriff, Dunlap has officially retired. His last day is Aug. 31.
On Aug. 13, the 71-year-old Dunlap announced his impending retirement during the Lake County commissioners’ regular meeting, where he tendered his letter of resignation.
“It is and has been my intention to make myself available for a smooth transition and I will remain forever grateful to the people of Lake County for entrusting me with the office of sheriff since 1992 .... It has been my honor to serve in that capacity,” he said.
Dunlap was elected to seven terms in office — a mark he shares with the late Sheriff Edwin H. Cunningham, who hired Dunlap.
A life-long resident of the county — Dunlap and his wife, Lu, live in the Concord Township home he grew up in — he began his career as a sheriff’s deputy in 1973. Over the next 46 years he would serve as a deputy, deputy sergeant and deputy lieutenant.
While Dunlap never underestimated what the job would encompass, he conceded that, in an evolving world, for better or worse, significant challenges would arise.
“Little did I know when I ran for sheriff what it really entailed, that it would be running a small hospital for 350 to 400 people who had no interest in taking care of themselves while they were on the street, and working with doctors, nurses, dentists and mental health professionals,” he said. “I didn’t have any idea it would be about selling about 2 billion dollars’ worth of property and unfortunately that trend has not totally ended with the property plight for people.
“I also didn’t realize that we would enter into an opioid crisis, that computers would be so intertwined with our activities and that we would be doing so much not only to rely on them, but also in defending (ourselves) against them. I didn’t know a lot when I ran for sheriff, but I knew people and I enjoy working with people.”
While sheriff, about 12 sitting commissioners worked with Dunlap, not
always agreeing but ultimately collaborating.
“They all had their own ways of doing things and they did them,” he said. “We had disagreements, but never huge public quarrels like they do in some governments in some counties. I ran as the Republican sheriff, but as soon as you’re sworn in, you’re the sheriff for everybody, the Democrats, Independents and non-registered (voters) in the county.”
Dunlap emphasized his retirement isn’t about his past, but the office’s “bright” future, adding that he finds it amazing that young men and women continue to wish to serve the public.
“It’s challenging, and more challenges will come,” he said. “We dispatch, approximately, for 17 police and fire agencies, a side job we all know well.”
Dunlap added that Frank Leonbruno, 61, recently appointed acting sheriff by the commissioners, effective Sept. 1, is ready to lead the department.
“He has been the jail administrator, he has a master’s degree, I have sent him to the FBI Academy, he is a certified executive leader from that special program, and he has spent, about, the last 10 years as chief deputy, and together, we and the rest of our staff have developed a path of continuous growth and improvement,” Dunlap said. “He is far more prepared to be sheriff than I was. It will be a smooth transition, and in many ways it has been already.”
Dunlap pointed out that his decision to retire wasn’t easy, and while he won’t miss some things like waking up at 3 a.m. to go out with the SWAT team, of which he was an original member, he will indeed miss certain things that were afforded him, primarily the “power” the position holds.
“And power isn’t a bad thing — the power to get things done, the power to help people, the power to give people a good job where they can have a profession and career they can be proud of, the power of providing an agency the commissioners can be proud of as much as we can.
“If I was a better fisherman or golfer, I would have retired years ago, so I haven’t been in a rush to get away from the job,” Dunlap said. “It’s been a pleasure working with everyone, and I don’t have to be drunk at a bar to say, ‘I love you people.’
“This is not a wake,” he added, to laughter. “I’m lucky. I’m a lucky, lucky man. Lake County has great people and has had great public officials. I was born in Lake County, and I tell people all the time, it was never great planning, it was dumb luck. Thank you all, thank you for being the people you are. I truly appreciate it.”
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
• Going back to his time as deputy lieutenant, he was placed in charge of Lake County’s Emergency Operations and Dispatch Center located behind Lakeland Community College. Through his efforts working with county leaders, police chiefs and fire chiefs, he helped form the groundwork for the state-of-the-art facility it is today.
• He attended the 156th session of the FBI National Academy. Leaders and managers of state, local, county, tribal, military, federal and international law enforcement agencies attend the FBI National Academy. Participation is by invitation only, through a nomination process. Participants are drawn from every U.S. state and territory and from international partner nations. Less than 2 percent of law enforcement will have the opportunity to attend this academy in their career.
• He was the first certified sheriff in Ohio for Drug and Alcohol Treatment. In 1993, in his first term as sheriff, he created the jail Drug and Alcohol treatment program to treat offenders and return them back to society better then when they first arrived. Since 1993 the program has far exceeded national treatment programs with 60 percent of those receiving treatment and not returning to jail within the first year of their release. • As sheriff he recognized the growing problem of mental illness in our community, and its effect on the rising jail population. Together with Mentor Municipal Court Judge John Trebets, he helped establish the first ever mental health court in Lake County.
• Since becoming sheriff in 1993, the jail has passed every state jail inspection, and became the first jail in Ohio ever certified as being in full-compliance with the Ohio Minimum Jail Standards.
“This is not a wake. I’m lucky. I’m a lucky, lucky man. Lake County has great people and has had great public officials.” — Retiring Lake County Sheriff Daniel Dunlap