Police Chief Ron Winkley – Village of Lewiston Citizen of the Year

Prepared by Sandy (Hays) Mies and Terry Duffy
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, June 9, 2007

Lewiston’s top cop – Chief of Police Ron Winkley.

Come this Friday, the 2007 edition of the Lower Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce Gala will again grace the elegant confines of the Niagara Falls Country Club, up on the hill. Titled “An Evening Under the Tuscan Sun,” the affair pays tribute to a host of notable individuals and businesses from throughout northern Niagara.

In past weeks, the Sentinel has featured detailed profiles of this year’s honorees. These have included Mount St. Mary’s Hospital and Health Center – the Chamber’s Chair Award; Tin Pan Alley and the Brickyard – Lewiston Business of the Year; the Youngstown Village Dinner – Youngstown Business of the Year; Ki-Po Chevrolet – Ransomville Business of the Year; Butch Cannon – Youngstown Citizen of the Year; the Rhoney Funeral Home – Sanborn’s Business of the Year; Robert L. Bull., M.D., town of Lewiston Citizen of the Year, and Douglas Dietz; town of Porter Citizen of the Year.

In today’s Sentinel, with his retirement from duty just days away, we pay tribute to Chief Ronald Winkley of the Lewiston Police Department.

Ronald Winkley
2007 Village of Lewiston
Citizen of the Year

On Tuesday, Lewiston Police Chief Ron Winkley was recognized by the Niagara County Legislature “for his many years of outstanding and devoted service to the residents of the village and town of Lewiston.” In the above photo, 12th District Niagara County Legislator John Ceretto (right), who issued a proclamation honoring Lewiston’s top cop, listens as Winkley recalls his many years of service to Niagara County residents.

Lewiston Police Chief Ron Winkley is Mayor Richard Soluri’s choice for Citizen of the Year. Ron has been the top cop for 23 years.

It is true, Chief Winkley is a paid employee of the town and village of Lewiston. Ron, however, deserves to be recognized for what he has done that goes above and beyond the call of duty. He has certainly kept law and order, no question, but he has worn his title with integrity, kindness and class. Ron has been able to endear himself to every segment of our community.

Community policing is much different than practicing criminal justice in a big city environment. It requires an individual who has compassion. Someone who takes the time to really know our citizens. Someone who can make a good judgment call and someone who knows when it is better to let families handle a problem instead of the legal system.

It requires someone who is willing to work closely with community organizations on special events – and who has more events than Lewiston! That someone is Ron Winkley.

Ron’s love for children has helped him to earn the respect of our area’s youth. He has created an award-winning D.A.R.E. program that has kept many a youngster drug-free. Through this program and others that benefit our youth, Ron has earned both their admiration and respect.

While his position has been likened to the character of Andy Griffith, Lewiston is very different from Mayberry. We live on an international border with a power plant in our backyard, so Homeland Security concerns are always at the forefront of his agenda. We are, of course, a northern town, so there are often weather-related problems.

When asked what the biggest challenge of his career has been, he quickly answered that without question it has been notifying the family of a teen-ager when there has been a fatal accident. He has always handled his job with compassion.

Ron first began his criminal justice career by working summers at the Niagara County Jail. He went on to attend Niagara County Community College, the Rochester Institute of Technology, and Niagara University where he earned a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice Administration. He is also a graduate of the FBI Academy.

After graduating from RIT, Ron began working part-time as a Lewiston police officer. He was instrumental in the consolidation of the village and town police departments in 1996, and the rest is history.

Citizen of the Year isn’t the only award that this gentle giant has received. In 1995 he was honored as the Moose of the Year. In 1994 and in 2004, the Lewiston-Porter United Teachers presented him with their “Friend of Education” Award. Further, he was honored by Buffalo State College as an Outstanding Professional in the Criminal Justice Field, and NCCC honored him as a Distinguished Alumni.

And this past Tuesday, the Niagara County Legislature joined in tribute to the soon-to-be retiring Lewiston Police Chief with a proclamation congratulating him for his years of dedicated service.

Winkley’s last day on the job heading “Lewiston’s finest” is Friday, June 29. The Sentinel and the Chamber are proud to join the long list of organizations who have recognized him, and we are grateful for the opportunity to pay tribute to this outstanding public servant and friend.

Ron resides in Lewiston with his wife Laurene and his children Brandon and Amanda.