Greensburg police chief to retire Friday

Greensburg police Chief Walter J. “Wally” Lyons will retire Friday after almost 43 years on the force.

Lyons, 64, plans to keep retirement simple.

“Spring, summer and fall, I'll be playing a lot of golf. Low stress. The only thing I'll have to worry about is missing a 3-foot putt,” he said.

In the past week, there has been some uncertainty about whether Lyons actually would retire from the force.

The Friday retirement date is the one Mayor Robert L. Bell announced last week after meeting with Lyons to discuss the chief's contract that expires in March.

Lyons, however, said he didn't make the decision to retire until turning in his resignation letter on Monday.

“After some lengthy discussions with city officials, I have decided that I am retiring as of Friday,” he said.

Lyons said he had planned on staying on the force well into the year, and possibly into 2017, to oversee the recent flurry of hirings, retirements and promotions that have taken place in the 27-officer department. He would not say why he gave up that plan.

“That's something maybe the mayor would have to answer,” he said.

Bell said in a text message on Monday that he would not comment on personnel issues.

Lyons earned $109,739 in 2015, including longevity pay.

Previously, Bell said he hopes to promote someone from within the department to take Lyons' place but that the position will have to be publicly advertised.

He said he hoped a chief can be selected within two to three weeks of advertising the job.

Lyons joined the force in 1973 and replaced retiring Chief Richard Baric in 2003. He was a detective for two years before being appointed chief, a sergeant for seven years before that, and a lieutenant since 1992. He was old enough to retire with a full pension when he took the job.

“To my knowledge, I'm the longest-serving officer in the city's history,” he said.

He said he is proud of the department he led for more than a decade.

“I think we have an outstanding young police department. I would not hesitate to stack them up against any other police department in the county,” he said.

Jacob Tierney is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-836-6646 or jtierney@tribweb.com.