Springfield Township has added a new layer of brass and bolstered its law enforcement ranks, as announced in a recent post on its social media. In a move to strengthen the community's safety and leadership within the Springfield Township Police Department, two officers have ascended to higher responsibilities—former Detective John Simms stepped up to wear the sergeant's stripes. At the same time, Dan Beitzel donned the badge as the newest full-time officer.

The promotions were given the green light at the Springfield Township Trustees meeting when Trustees Joe DiLauro and Kellie Chapman (in the absence of Jeremy Caudill) voted to affirm the appointments. Chief Jack Simone took the honor of administering the oath of office to Sergeant Simms and Officer Beitzel, as detailed in a social media post from the Springfield Township Police Department .

"At tonight’s Springfield Township Trustees meeting, we proudly promoted John Simms to the rank of Sergeant and officially swore in our newest full-time officer, Dan Beitzel," the Springfield Township Police Department shared. Sergeant Simms is an Akron native, a veteran of seven years in the United States Navy, and has dedicated the past seven years to the Springfield Township Police Department. He recently served in the Detective Bureau before his latest step upward. Officer Beitzel is a Canton local and an Army National Guard veteran with experience from the Canton Police Department and a degree from Liberty University.

In the shuffle of this leadership deck, Officer Noah Wardle is set to fill the detective shoes left by Sergeant Simms. Although unable to attend the meeting, he will soon step into his new role in the Detective Bureau. The Springfield Township Police Department expressed their pride in these officers and invited the community to celebrate the advancements: "Please join us in congratulating Sergeant Simms, Detective Wardle, and Officer Beitzel on their new roles! We are proud to have them serving the Springfield Township community."