Public Safety Director Byrd to retire in September

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Brian Byrd, the longtime Toledo firefighter and fire chief, and currently the public safety director, is retiring on September 1, according to city officials.

Byrd had been with the fire department since 1988.

Becoming a Lieutenant in 1992, Captain in 1997, Battalion Chief in 2000 before ultimately being named Chief in August 2018.

He soon transitioned into the public safety director role, making police recruitment a top priority. Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said Tuesday Byrd deserves credit for the “drastic reduction” in violent crime Toledo has seen this year. Read the mayor’s full statement on Byrd’s retirement announcement in the document below.

Copyright 2023 WTVG. All rights reserved.