Dalton Police Chief McFarren honored for bravery

Dalton Police Chief Eric McFarren has been formally recognized by the Village of Dalton with a Commendation for Valor and a Letter of Special Recognition by State Rep. Meredith Craig for bravery, valor and exemplary service for his actions during a high-risk, multi-agency law-enforcement pursuit April 2.

According to reports, a vehicle was pursued by the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, the Medway Drug Enforcement Agency, and Dalton and Wooster police personnel throughout Wayne County before ending with gunfire near the bypass at state Route 3 and Cleveland Road in Wooster.

Amid the coordinated response, McFarren stepped forward to support his fellow officers, placing himself in extreme danger as part of a unified effort to bring the incident to a safe conclusion by using his cruiser to stop the suspect’s vehicle.

“Your conduct during this incident exemplifies the core values of the Village of Dalton and serves as a powerful example of bravery, integrity and service,” Craig said in the letter. “The effectiveness of your response reflected not only individual courage, but also your training, experience and commitment to excellence.”

Dalton Mayor David Gibson and the village council formally expressed their highest appreciation for McFarren by awarding him a Commendation for Valor for courage and exemplary service, recognizing the personal risk he took to protect fellow officers and the public.

“Police Chief Eric McFarren, in the performance of his duties, risked his life to help bring the pursuit to an end, demonstrating exceptional bravery and placing the safety of the public and fellow officers above his own,” the resolution for the award said. “The mayor and council of the Village of Dalton wish to honor and recognize his extraordinary courage by awarding him a Commendation for Valor. The village is deeply grateful for Police Chief McFarren’s service and seeks to publicly acknowledge the significance of his actions during this high-risk, multi-agency incident.”

McFarren attributed his split-second decision to bring the situation to an end to his experience and training with the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force.

“It was my job,” McFarren said. “I work alongside many great people at different agencies who do similar things that I did on that day. I am grateful to be the chief of police in Dalton and to work closely with them. This award shows what a giving and caring community Dalton is. I am very lucky to be a part of this community.”

Dan Starcher is the public communications coordinator for Wayne County.