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Mayor Announces New Police Chief: Karabas retiring Dec. 31
Promotions of Other Police Officers Also Announced
Mayor Tom Schneider announced late last week major changes in the leadership of the
Florissant Police Department including the pending retirement of Police Chief William
Karabas, the appointment of Timothy J. Lowery as the new police chief after Karabas
retires on Dec. 31, 2012 and other future leadership assignments.
- Police Chief to retire at end of 2012
The Chief had informed Schneider of this decision last March. Since then the mayor
has met with the chief, Major Lowery, and captains and all the lieutenants in the
Florissant Police Department seeking direction on the future leadership assignments. Schneider said he wants “to ensure the continued success of one of the finest law enforcement organizations in the nation.”
Mayor Schneider announced the following other changes that will take place at the Florissant Police Department in preparation the transition process within the department as Major Lowery prepares to take command on Jan. 1st as the new Chief of Police.
Major Lowery will be assigned as assistant police chief during the transition to, as the mayor stated, ” enable as much opportunity for interaction with Chief William Karabas as possible and to allow him to establish his leadership style within the department.”
The other three police department changes are:
Captain Sean Fagan will be assigned to lead the Bureau of Field Operations.
Captain Randall Boden will be assigned to lead the Bureau of Support Services.
Lt. Timothy Fagan will be assigned to lead the Bureau of Criminal Investigations.
Mayor Lauds Chief Karabas’ Career
Mayor Schneider congratulated Chief Karabas for his outstanding “career not only for his contributions to the safety of the City of Florissant but also to the success of law enforcement in the entire St. Louis Metropolitan community.”
Karabas has been in a police uniform for 52 years. Prior to his eleven years with Florissant he was the police chief of the City of Brentwood, Cool Valley and UMSL. He has served as vice- chairman of the Greater St. Louis Major Case Squad, committee member of LEPAC and a life member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Missouri Police Chiefs Association and the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy.
Mayor Schneider noted that Chief Karabas leaves the city with two important career legacies. He is credited with bringing the first Drug Awareness and Resistance Education D.A.R.E. program to the State of Missouri, which has created cooperation between children and police officers to combat the scourge of illegal drugs, underage drinking and smoking as well as reduce the violence in youth conflict resolution.
Chief Karabas was given the first ever St. Louis County Municipal League MUNI award for Public Safety last May for his vision and leadership to create the St. Louis County Emergency Management System.
Chief Karabas is chairman of the St. Louis County Emergency Communications Management Commission which oversees the development of the system that was approved by the voters with the passage of a county wide bond issue two years ago. The need for systems like this became evident on September 11, 2001 after the terrorist attacks and William Karabas made sure that the dialogue resulted in a project that became operational in 2014, Mayor Schneider said in a statement.
Tim Lowery was Top Choice
Mayor Schneider said it was made clear to him that it was ” important for the integrity and morale of the department to identify leadership from within at this time and to make promotions accordingly. It became abundantly clear that the obvious choice was to appoint Major Timothy Lowery as the next police chief. He will take the helm on Jan. 1, 2013.
Major Timothy J. Lowery, the son of former Mayor Robert Lowery Sr., began his law enforcement career in 1985 as a member of the St. Louis County Police Department. In 1989, he joined the Florissant Police Department as a patrol officer. Major Lowery is currently assigned as commander of the Bureau of Field Operations.
He has distinguished accomplishments in the Bureau of Criminal Investigations, the mayor noted. In 2012, he was chosen as the chief deputy commander of the Greater St. Louis Major Case squad, a multi-jurisdictional homicide task force. His educational background is a Bachelor and Master’s Degree in Management from Lindenwood University with an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Florissant Valley Community College. In 2008, he graduated from the F.B.I. National Academy in Quantico, VA.
