The Beginning 

The Macedonia Police Department was established in 1905. Records from that period indicate that the first Village Marshal – a part-time position – was H.A. Hawley. Marshal Hawley was paid $25 per year for his services, and the Village council provided him with a badge and “modern” handcuffs. Floyd V. McRitchie was appointed the first full-time Marshal on December 13, 1927, with a salary set at $200 per month. After the Great Depression, the police department was returned to part-time service and had only two members who were given the title Police Constable. 

1950s – 1970s 

By the early 1950s, Macedonia Township was beginning to take the shape of the city we recognize today. The Constables were ordered to work five nights per week, and by 1959, there were four men in the ranks, with Constable McRitchie being named as their full-time Chief. The Police Constables were still responsible for enforcing laws and keeping the peace throughout the 1950s. Working out of “Old Post One” of the Summit County Sheriff’s Office in Northampton Township, Ray Walls and Floyd V. “Pete” McRitchie Jr. (son of Marshal McRitchie) were responsible for the protection of northern Summit County. 

On June 12, 1962, the Township of Macedonia reincorporated and returned to Village status. This date, too, was significant, as the Constables became Village Policemen and “Pete,” as he is known and loved, was named the first Chief of Police. While Macedonia was still a relatively small town, the population continued to grow, and the new police department provided a valuable service. The department began to grow as well, and Chief McRitchie was instrumental in forming the police department we recognize today.  

1980s – 1990s 

These ideals carried on throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s under the administration of Chiefs Acheson and Popovich. High standards and expectations continued to be the norm, and it was during this period that the department grew into what we see today.  

2000s – 2020s

In February 2002, the Civil Service Commission for the City of Macedonia appointed Jon Golden as Chief, following a rigorous testing procedure. This appointment came only three and a half years after his promotion to Sergeant in June 1998. Golden, the youngest Chief in the department’s history, brought to his new position a zeal unsurpassed by few of his peers. Equipment upgrades and computer system installations during this time transformed the department and brought it into the 21st century. The department made huge policy and technological advances during Chief Golden’s 21 years, including joining the Metro SWAT Team and Metro Crash Team, starting the SRO Program, and participating in the City Drone Team. 

Present 

In March 2023, Lieutenant Vincent Yakopovich was promoted to the position of Police Chief after serving as the department’s Executive Lieutenant for almost 20 years. Since his appointment, the department has already undergone a structure change to make it more efficient. The department is now budgeted for 28 full-time officers, which includes 18 full-time Patrol Officers, two Detectives, four Sergeants, three Lieutenants and the Chief’s position. Chief Yakopovich is striving to continue to grow and advance the department by promoting training and development of our officers and dispatchers to provide the best services we can to the citizens of Macedonia. 

It is our mission, through the spirit and color of law, to proudly serve the citizens of our great City and provide them with a safe and secure environment in which they can live in peace.