BY TERESA ACKERMAN
Gazette Newspapers
MADISON TOWNSHIP – On Monday, June 22, Matthew Gosnik took over as chief of the Madison Township Police Department.
He has been with the department for over 22 years and worked his way through the ranks from patrol officer to sergeant, to assistant chief and now chief.
Gosnik was born in Willoughby but said his family moved to Mentor when he was young.
While attending Mentor High School, Gosnik attended a law enforcement vocational program held at Euclid High. He said this program solidified his desire to be a police officer.
He then attended Lakeland Community College for two years and transferred to Ohio University, where he obtained his bachelor of criminal justice. After college, he attended and graduated from the Cleveland Heights Police Academy.
Gosnik shared he is the first member of his family to get into law enforcement.
“My family has a long history of military service including my father (U.S. Air Force), sister (U.S. Marine Corps) and grandparents in the Marine Corps and Navy,” said Gosnik. “I was a military police officer in the Ohio National Guard from 1996 to 2002. My armory was in Brook Park, Ohio. My unit was called up in the aftermath of 9/11, and I ended up spending a year on active duty in support of that mission. Additionally, I was deployed in support of a non-related humanitarian mission to Nicaragua.”
When asked who his role models were when he was growing up and why he decided to become a police officer, Gosnik responded, “Honestly, I would say my mother and father were my role models growing up. I always admired the dependability, generosity and support they provided to my siblings and I.”
“I wanted to be a police officer since I was a little kid. This was a natural progression. My family thought it was a career choice that fit me,” said Gosnik. “A life of service has always appealed to me. I admired the discipline and selflessness good police officers exemplify. I was also raised to be an empathetic person, so I consider this profession, which allows me to help others, as honorable work.”
During his career in law enforcement Gosnik has received the Distinguished Service Award from the Lake County Chiefs of Police Association, Officer of the Year from his peers and department commendations for exceptional service and department excellence.
Gosnik received the Distinguished Service Award for wrestling a pistol out of a suicidal man’s hands.
“I received the Exceptional Service and Department Excellence Award a couple times. One was for a strong-arm rape investigation that resulted in a conviction. Another was for a suicidal female that was locked in her car with a simulated handgun – extricated her from the car and no one got hurt,” said Gosnik. “Personally, I consider the successful investigations I have conducted as my biggest accomplishments as a police officer. Bringing justice to innocent victims, as a direct result of your work, is always a rewarding experience.”
As for memorable experiences in his career, Gosnik said that graduating from the field training program and being released to patrol duty solo was a day he will never forget.
“It took a lot of hard work to acquire the qualifications and gain the knowledge needed to receive that privilege,” said Gosnik.
For the past two years he’s been on the Lake County Drone Team. He successfully went through the FAA accreditation program and received certification to become a drone pilot.
Since becoming a police officer Gosnik expressed that he has seen an immense change in this profession since he began.
“Technological advancements have represented major challenges and new capabilities to law enforcement. This work has always been sort of a ‘cat and mouse’ game but much more of it now takes place remotely, through the Internet. As new and nefarious tactics are developed new countermeasures need engineered, so we are constantly having to adapt. The expansion of social media has also been a double-edged sword,” said Gosnik. “The amount of disinformation being circulated to defame law enforcement is immense and it can be highly influential. Sometimes it is difficult to set the record straight again. Fortunately, we have a great community here in Madison and we receive a lot of support.”
“Anyone considering a career in law enforcement needs to understand that personal sacrifice will be required,” he said by way of advice for anyone someone thinking about becoming a police officer. “The things we deal with, over the course of a career, will change you and it can be too much for some people to handle. It takes real work to remain healthy, happy and maintain a positive outlook sometimes. But if you can figure that out, I still believe it is a very rewarding profession because there is a lot of opportunity to do a lot of good work.”
Gosnik recommends finding things that you enjoy doing to deal with the stress.
“I enjoy motorcycling, following and staying current on international affairs and have always had an interest in aviation. I am also a Formula One fan. Canadian Grand Prix. Monaco Grand Prix,” said Gosnik.
“First, I would like for people who may not know me to become more familiar. I believe we have a great department with good people working here. I intend to maintain that culture and ensure the community continues to receive the high-quality service they have funded for so many years,” said Gosnik. “It is surreal to know I will be sworn in as chief of police. I consider it a great honor and privilege.”
Retired Madison Township Police Chief Troy Hager shared the qualities that he saw in Gosnik that would make him a good police chief.
“Matt has demonstrated to me his ability to lead as a sergeant and accomplish his administrative duties. I have worked side by side with him and witnessed his ability to lead fair and cautiously. He is diligent when he researches and explains the needs of the agency to his subordinates without being dictatorial,” said Hager.
Gosnik was one of this reporter’s sergeants when she worked with him at the Madison Township Police Department for the past 18 years. She retired on Monday, June 1.
