Lieutenant Thomas S. Wells - Thomas Wells has been with Springdale PD for 20 years starting as a police officer in 1990. He became interested in law enforcement when he graduated from Walnut Hills H.S. in Cincinnati, Ohio. Being a native Cincinnatian, he grew up in Clifton. Tom graduated from the University of Cincinnati where he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in 1990. He was hired full time as a Deputy Sheriff by the Clermont County Sheriff’s Department in 1989 and worked there for almost a year before coming to Springdale Police. His personal interests include the railroad industry, travel and photography. Tom has served as a Police Officer, Sergeant and was promoted to his current position as Lieutenant at Springdale in 1999. Tom’s major area of study prior to promotion was in traffic safety. He serves as an Operation Lifesaver Presenter and has since 1996. That program is near and dear to him as it focuses attention on reducing the number of people killed and injured in train/vehicle collisions and being struck by trains while trespassing. In 2006, Lt. Wells was named by Chief Laage as the Traffic Safety Coordinator/Supervisor and put in charge of development of the first traffic safety unit on the Springdale PD. In addition to the various responsibilities of his position, he is most proud of his affiliation with the Springdale Police and Hamilton County Police Association Honor Guards. He is the commander of the unit in Springdale and has brought standardized training in funeral protocol, Color Guard and fire team weapon salutes. Lt. Wells has traveled to Washington D.C. with the HCPA unit and served on the Presidential Honor Guard for President George W. Bush in 2006 and 2007. In 2008, Lt. Wells and the Springdale Honor Guard traveled to Washington D.C. as a unit for the first time and also had the privilege of providing a full honors funeral for retired Chief Don Stemann in Daytona Beach Shores, Florida. Springdale Police Honor Guard was named as the first “Harris K. Loftspring Departmental Honor Guard of the Year in 2009 at the Greater Cincinnati Police Appreciation Awards banquet. Lt. Wells is a graduate of several professional management training courses including the Certified Law Enforcement Executive and Police Executive Leadership College programs. Both courses aim to develop management and leadership skills in a Master’s Degree style educational format. In 2009, Lt. Wells attended and graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va. This was a transforming event and a true highlight of his career with Springdale. Tom is married and has a daughter. They travel frequently and enjoy spending as much time as possible together. When asked to sum up his experiences, he said: “I have learned over the years that what is most important is standing up for what you believe in and never letting anyone change who you are. Respect others, be fair and maintain an upbeat attitude and you will always be surrounded by the best of the best”. For Tom, his Faith has taught him how to set the right priorities in life and to exemplify what he expects from others.