Bruce Gower
Police Chief
Clyde Police Department
Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association Police Officer of The Year For 1987
1996 - 2017
A graduate of Bellevue High School who also attended BGSU was hired January 14, 1979 as a patrol officer for the City of Clyde police department.
During his time as a patrol officer, Gower made numerous citations and arrests for criminal and traffic offenses.
Officer Gower was assigned Detective duties on September 9, 1983 by Chief John Scheer Jr. where he worked with Fremont PD, Tiffin PD,
and Norwalk PD on three separate but connected undercover drug operations.
This was the first undercover drug sting in the history of the agency and never before had so many different agencies worked together.
Detective Gower stayed in that position until April 1984 when he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and became the midnight shift supervisor.
One of the cases worked was a breaking and entering into the Clyde Eagles Club by Michael Newland.
Sergeant Gower was able to work with SA Larry Harden of Ohio BCI&I to Identify Mr. Newland and through 2 years of investigation,
assisted by Prosecutor John Meyers and Clyde Detective Dennis Hall. In early 1987 Michael Newland was indicted on entries all across Ohio to Eagles Clubs.
In 1987 Gower was named as the Police Officer of the year for the State of Ohio by the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association.
In November 1988 Sergeant Gower was again assigned as a Detective to lead the investigative section of the Clyde Police Department by Chief Daniel Weaver.
Sergeant Gower along with ATF Agents re-investigated several arsons including one causing the death of one person. Gregory Fosnight was indicted and convicted of these incidents.
Sergeant Gower along with Captain Tom Rathbun of the Sandusky County Sheriff’s Office spearheaded and ran the largest
public/private undercover drug investigation in the history of Ohio with Whirlpool Corporation security from 1989-1991 resulting in over 80 arrests.
Sergeant Gower was the 1st officer from the Clyde Police Department to attend the FBI National Academy in the 175th session October-December 1993.
Sergeant Gower was the 2nd officer from Clyde to attend the Police Executive Leadership College (PELC XV) and the Rural Executive Management Institute at Charleston, WV.
After several stints as Acting Police Chief when Dan Weaver was appointed Acting City Manager, Sergeant Gower was appointed Acting Police Chief in February 1996.
He was named the 7th City of Clyde Police Chief on August 25, 1996. Chief Gower by far is the longest serving Chief of Police for the City of Clyde.