Carlisle’s new police chief returns to department where career began in 1978

Will Rogers, a retired Middletown police sergeant and a police reserve lieutenant, has been selected as the new chief of police in Carlisle. Rogers starts his new job on Jan. 20. CONTRIBUTED/CITY OF MIDDLETOWN

Will Rogers, a retired Middletown police sergeant and a police reserve lieutenant, has been selected as the new chief of police in Carlisle. Rogers starts his new job on Jan. 20. CONTRIBUTED/CITY OF MIDDLETOWN

Carlisle’s new police chief is returning to where he started his law enforcement career in 1978.

Will Rogers, a retired Middletown police sergeant, began his new job on Monday. Village Manager Julie Duffy swore in Rogers on Friday afternoon, and Rogers’ ceremonial swearing-in will take place at the Jan. 28 Village Council meeting, Duffy said.

She said Rogers’ annual salary will be $71,718. The Carlisle Police Department has seven full-time officers and one reserve officer.

He succeeds Chief Michael Bruck, who stepped down after 10 years. Prior to becoming Carlisle’s police chief, Bruck served as Middletown’s police chief. Bruck’s last day as chief was Sunday, and he completed a 41-year career in law enforcement.

Rogers retired from Middletown police on July 4, 2009 and became a reserve officer. Rogers also worked as a sergeant with the Atrium Medical Center campus police. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2016 and campus police department manager in 2019. Rogers will be leaving that job to take over as Carlisle’s police chief, according to Duffy.

He was a member of the Middletown Division of Police from 1980 to 2009 and supervised patrol officers as a shift commander. For 11 years, he supervised the 911 dispatch center and the city’s full-service jail. He also worked for three years as a detective investigating traffic crashes and arson.

Rogers was a patrol officer with Carlisle police from 1978 to 1980 and also supervised the auxiliary unit of volunteer officers.

He is a 1975 graduate of Carlisle High School and the Northwestern University College of Staff and Command. In addition, he also attended Miami University Middletown and received basic police certification from the Middletown police Recruit School and the Butler County Sheriff’s Office Training Academy.

Rogers has received certification and as a trainer in multiple areas, and he has taught public safety courses.

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