RUSTY YORK RETIRES – Message From The Mayor

It was recently announced that City of Fort Wayne Director of Public Safety Rusty York will retire effective December 1.

Rusty has served as director of public safety since January 2014. He served as police chief from 2000-2014. Rusty has 39 years of public safety experience.

As director of public safety, Rusty oversees the Fort Wayne Police Department, Fort Wayne Fire Department and Animal Care & Control Department and is responsible for reviewing and ensuring that staffing levels in the police and fire departments meet the needs of the City. The chiefs of the police and fire departments and director of Animal Care & Control report to Rusty.

He also oversees academy classes and leads the efforts for Fort Wayne to receive grant funding for public safety, further enhance collaborative efforts among public safety agencies, mentor public safety employees, and provide direction and input on union negotiations.

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In Rusty’s time of service with the City, the police department has upgraded public safety technology to better serve residents and businesses, the implementation of the automated fingerprint identification system has enhanced investigative work and crime solving abilities, and more police officers are protecting the public in Fort Wayne than ever before. He also helped oversee the creation of the Consolidated Communications Partnership to provide the best possible emergency and non-emergency services care coordination.

Rusty is a true servant leader. His leadership style and commitment to making a positive difference in public safety are to be commended. I appreciate his values, professionalism, and integrity that have assisted us in our collective efforts to have the finest police and fire departments in the country and be the safest city possible.

Upon Rusty’s retirement, Police Chief Steve Reed and Fire Chief Eric Lahey will serve as co-directors of public safety.