Walters recommends Leadership Coshocton County
Chris Walters is a native Coshoctonian having lived his entire life in Coshocton County, just outside of West Lafayette. He attended the Ridgewood Local School District and graduated in 1990. He wasn’t involved in sports but rather spent his junior and senior years working for Jones Zylon, attending Muskingum Area Technical College, now known as Zane State, and completed the Ohio Peace Officer’s Training Academy from MATC/Zane State. In 1993 was sworn in as a sheriff’s deputy under Sheriff Dave Corbett. This started his long career in public safety, working from 1996-2001 full-time with the Village of West Lafayette as a sergeant while being dually commissioned as a sheriff deputy in Coshocton. From 2001-2021, he was a full-time road deputy for the sheriff’s office and transferred to the position of court guard for the juvenile and probate court in 2017. In 2021, he accepted the position of Chief of Police for the Village of West Lafayette.
As chief of police, Walters’ main responsibility is to protect and serve the residents of the village. He is the leader to four full-time, 10 part-time/auxiliary officers, and one administrative assistant. He ensures that the state laws and ordinances passed by West Lafayette Village council are enforced and responsibly manages the budget for the department. He also schedules his officers to ensure ample coverage for the village and is responsible for ensuring the department’s vehicles are in good working order. He also ensures that the officers are kept up to date with their continuing education coursework and training. Walters is a working chief meaning that he responds to calls for service and patrols the village. He is active in the village and participates in the community engagements that the police department hosts for the community such as, the annual Easter Egg hunt, WLPD First Responders Block Party, Movie Night at Burt Park, and teams up with the West Lafayette Chamber of Commerce for the annual Halloween Party at Ridgewood Middle School. Walters also ensures that the community food pantry at the police department is kept stocked.
When he is not serving the residents of the village, Walters is the Coshocton County representative on the Allwell Health Services Board of Directors, which serves six counties. He is also a member of the Ohio Associate of Chiefs of Police; serves on the advisory board for the Coshocton Resource Center and is a member of the Local Corrections Planning Board. Locally, he is a member of the West Lafayette Rotary and Lions Clubs.
Walters was nominated by West Lafayette Village Mayor Stephen Bordenkircher, and he was hesitant to apply, stating, “As a cop, I’ve seen everything. What else is there to see?” But Walters admitted, “I’m very impressed by the connections with local businesses and the people in the community I’ve met. I wish I had done it when I first was nominated. This program has shown me the differences between being a leader and an authority figure. It’s reinforced the leadership qualities I already had. To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect, but this program has opened my eyes to manufacturing and jobs I’ve never seen and provided me with opportunities to network with the other participants who come from those businesses and industry.”
When asked his view of the community, Walters said, “It is rich in history. I have lots of memories from growing up here – my family is from here. It’s a beautiful area. There’s a lot going on in Coshocton – Main Street is looking better and businesses are moving in. When something happens, everyone pulls together to help. Everybody knows just about everybody; there’s always someone you know, and we all help each other out when needed.”
Walters points to the work of the Coshocton Port Authority as a means of making the county stronger. He said, “I appreciate the work of the Port Authority to bring businesses to the community – it’s a tough job.” He went on to point out assets of the county. “For a community to thrive, you need good schools, fire, and police protection. There is good infrastructure throughout the county and the city; villages and county all have appealing parks and greenspace.”
Walters “most definitely” would recommend Leadership Coshocton for others, stating, “You’ll see parts of Coshocton that you’ll never get to see and meet leaders from other business in Coshocton. The networking opportunities and curriculum are top-notch.”
Walters is a divorced father of two adult sons, one employed at Cleveland Cliffs, and the other Kraft Foods, and the proud grandfather of a two-year old granddaughter, Aubree.
Category: People & Places
