Denise DeBiase doesn’t think of herself as a trailblazer as she looks back at her long and distinguished career with the Richmond Heights Police Department.

After almost 28 years in uniform, her colleagues, supervisors and perhaps most importantly, the community, would beg to differ.

DeBiase retired in early May just three months short of her 28th anniversary with the department.

DeBiase started her career on Aug. 15, 1995, as the first female patrol officer for the department and went on to become a DARE officer in 1998, a bike officer in 2000, a detective in 2003, a sergeant in 2007 then a lieutenant in 2019 — all firsts for a woman at the department.

“I really never saw myself breaking any barriers for females. I just knew that I had to live by the oath that I had taken by doing my job to the best of my abilities,” DeBiase said. “I saw myself as an asset to the department because I could communicate with women on calls sometimes better than my male counterparts and find contraband on female suspects better than male officers.

“I worked hard to educate myself so I could get to the top and I’m proud of that,” she added. “It was important to me to do as much as I could because I would get bored easily. I am so thankful for the opportunities provided by both Chiefs Gene Rowe and Tom Wetzel, especially when it came to working with juveniles.”

 

It was a career that almost never took place as DeBiase was not initially interested in law enforcement and even had designs on a life in the political arena in Washington, D.C. After she quickly found that politics wasn’t for her, she took the advice of a neighbor where she grew up in Perry, who also happened to be director of the Lake County Narcotics Agency at the time.

“(Richmond Heights) was the first municipal test I had taken at the direction of Chris Collins, who was my neighbor in Perry,” DeBiase said. “After (returning from D.C.) and having a conversation with Chris, he told me I would probably like being a cop. He offered me a ride-along with the LCNA and after that, it was history.

“Chris recruited and sponsored me through the Lakeland Police Academy.”

“I poured my whole self into trying to keep it high functioning and now it’s time to pass along the reins. I’ll miss the funny guys I worked with, officers of other departments, and so many agencies I worked closely alongside. However, the ones I will miss most are the dear residents I have had the opportunity of serving in these last 28 years.”

— Denise DeBiase

The Perry High School and Slippery Rock University graduate said she had initially planned on working at Richmond Heights for only about five years then head into federal work like the FBI, but later decided that she didn’t want to leave her family or friends to pursue that career.

“In the process, the residents of the city became like my family, especially after becoming a DARE officer,” DeBiase said.

Rowe, who hired DeBiase in 1995, said it didn’t take long to see something unique in her.

“I hired her because there was something about her that was very special,” Rowe said. “She had a lot of moxie and was immediately dedicated to do a good job and she knew as the first female officer she was going to be watched closely and handled it all like a trouper.

“As a leader, she was always ready in the community and was a strong point for us in DARE and outreach and as a K-9 officer,” he added. “She was absolutely very determined when she became a supervisor to have a positive outlook on things and didn’t get discouraged.”

While being a police officer was not always part of her life plan, being in a position to help people was always on DeBiase’s mind.

She said she loved volunteering with her mom Lois, who was a Girl Scout leader, part of the Ladies Guild at St. Cyprian Church and worked for the Perry Joint Fire District for 28 years.

While being a police officer inherently lends itself to helping people, she said becoming a DARE officer and later a K-9 handler really let her make an impact on the community.

“I always wanted to be a K-9 handler,” DeBiase said. “I tried on multiple occasions to bring a dog to RHPD, but it never came to fruition for me. I ended up marrying a K-9 handler though. My husband, Mike, had two K-9s during his career and that was plenty of joy for me since I have always loved German shepherds.”

“When Chief Wetzel suggested we get a community policing K-9, I agreed wholeheartedly and it was truly divine intervention of how we received the gift of the white GSD Angel, which was donated to us by Rick Seyler of the Silver Bullet K9 Service Ministry,” she added. “Angel is known throughout the community and brought a lot of happiness to our residents who experienced loss, to our school children, to assisted living residences and to businesses.

“A lot of businesses had treats for Angel (like Huntington Bank and Dave’s Supermarkets) when she would arrive and she created a lot of joy in their day.”

Wetzel, who also recently retired as chief of police in Richmond Heights, said DeBiase left a major impact on the department and the community and has left some mighty big shoes to fill.

“I had the privilege to work with Lt. Denise DeBiase and found her to be a committed public servant and a gem of a person,” Wetzel said. “She was a walking talking dynamo in community policing and really took it to the next level with our community policing K-9 Angel.

“She was often the face of our agency and was a first in many ways — first female police officer in Richmond Heights, first female sergeant, first female lieutenant/acting chief.”

“She was such a joy to work with and police blue ran through her veins,” Wetzel added. “She truly cared about her officers and her community and gave everything she had to the operation. She truly was one-of-a-kind and irreplaceable.”

As far as the decision to retire, much of it for DeBiase had to do with family.

Both of her parents and her younger brother died between the end of 2018 and 2021 and that took an immense toll on her and her whole family. DeBiase has a son who she said deserves to have quality time with his mom (who worked around the clock until four years ago).

“I gave all my time to the city of Richmond Heights and I decided it was time to give my time to my wonderful son, who is a miracle in his own right, having been born a preemie at 34 weeks,” DeBiase said.

“The average age of death for a police officer is 57, where in civilians it’s 74. I thought to myself that I didn’t have a lot of time left so I better start traveling and enjoy life.”

Enjoying life with so much free time was initially a bit of a transition for DeBiase after almost three decades on the force, but one that she will gladly get used to.

She has great respect for the dedication it takes to be in law enforcement and for the residents they serve and knows what an honor it was to wear the badge for so many years and touch so many lives.

“I poured my whole self into trying to keep it high functioning and now it’s time to pass along the reins,” DeBiase said. “I’ll miss the funny guys I worked with, officers of other departments, and so many agencies I worked closely alongside. However, the ones I will miss most are the dear residents I have had the opportunity of serving in these last 28 years.

“I have made so many incredible friends along my journey who have molded me into the officer I am today,” she added.” I am proud, honored and privileged to have worn the badge and to have accepted a job that is so important to our society.”

DeBiase has the highest regard and respect for the uniform, which is why even after retirement she will continue as a teacher at an officer wellness class for Bill Healy of Northcoast Polytechnic Institute.

“We demand a lot from our peace officers, who have taken the challenge of holding great character, self-restraint, integrity and courage. And we must not forget the sacrifice officers make every day so that those we serve can have peace in their homes,” DeBiase said. “I’ve done that, and to the best of my ability.

“Walking away from this position is merely providing me with the ability of being able to support our law enforcement officers on a higher scale. I hope to continue to do so as I teach police officers throughout Ohio.”