The longest-serving police officer in Granville’s history has left the department, retiring after 26 years serving the village. 

Lt. Shawn Wilson, who started at the department as a dispatcher in July 1999, accepted a new position as deputy chief in the Columbus suburb of Whitehall’s police department. 

Wilson became an officer for the department in 2000. During his service, Wilson served in every position at the department, from dispatcher to second-in-command and acting chief. 

“I’ve got lasting friendships from both Denison and Granville alike,” Wilson said. “So it’s just been an amazing experience for 26 years.” 

Wilson also attended school while working at the department. Wilson obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees while on the force, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in global leadership from Tiffin University. He encourages other officers to pursue higher education. 

“It was a lot of time management on my part,” Wilson said. “No doubt about that.”

So much of the growth and reputation of the village’s police department can be attributed to Wilson’s hard work, GPD Police Chief William Caskey said. 

Wilson played a significant role in making Granville’s Police Department one of the most professional in the state, Caskey said. But Wilson attributes that to the hard work of every officer in the department. 

Wilson shakes Granville Police Department Chief William Caskey’s hand at the July 16 Granville Village Council meeting, where Wilson received recognition for his service. Credit: Maddie Luebkert
Granville’s Vice Mayor Jeremy Johnson presented Wilson with a superior service medal, honoring his nearly three decades of service to the community. Credit: Maddie Luebkert

“You can contribute that to the willingness of each and every officer there, wanting to be the best that they possibly could be,” Wilson said. “And on top of that, the relationships that we’ve built with Denison University, Granville schools. … You really cannot compare that with anything else.”

At the village council meeting on Wednesday, July 16, Vice Mayor Jeremy Johnson presented Wilson with a superior service medal, honoring his nearly three decades of service to the community. 

Wilson’s coworkers also managed to find a photo of when Wilson first joined the police department in 1999, and gifted the framed headshot to Wilson during the proclamation.

Maddie Luebkert writes for TheReportingProject.org, the nonprofit news organization of Denison University’s Journalism program, which is supported by generous donations from readers. Sign up for The Reporting Project newsletter here.