FREDERICKTOWN — James T. DeChant was sworn in Monday to the Fredericktown Police Department as a patrolman, with plans to take over as chief.
DeChant resigned as director of Knox County’s Emergency Management Agency, effective June 12. He joined the EMA as deputy director August 2021. Leaving the EMA for Fredericktown PD was a practical decision, he said.
“A lot of it’s retirement-related, I’m 50 years old,” DeChant said.
Returning to work for a police department will allow him to merge retirement plans.
“It’ll set me up financially. … After working in the public sector dealing with weather, I’m hoping at (age) 55 or 58 when I retire I never have to own a snow shovel again, and I can spend my winters in the South.”
His beginnings
DeChant was born and raised in Fredericktown. At age 16, he joined the Village of Fredericktown’s Recreation District.
In 1998, he became an auxiliary patrolman for Fredericktown.
“I was always either volunteering at the fire department or doing something for the community,” he said.
Before joining the EMA, DeChant worked 22 years as detective at the Mount Vernon Police Department. While on the force, he was the police department representative to the Knox County Emergency Operations Center.
“(Mark) Maxwell was able to take vacations and not worry about who was going to hold the basket when things fell apart,” DeChant said. “My first response was tornadic activity.”
DeChant recalled briefly stepping into the position of director in June 2022, when an EF1 tornado formed in Knox County. Despite having never been in that situation, DeChant adapted.
That ability to thrive in chaos, and still manage to rebuild communities and create relationships with first responders, is something DeChant brought into his role as director.
He stepped into the role Dec. 30, 2022, following former Director Mark Maxwell’s retirement.
School reunification
One of DeChant’s top accomplishments has been Knox County’s School Reunification Plan.
The plan commits to reuniting Knox County students with their parents or legal guardians following an emergency situation by identifying a singular reunification location.
This also prevents an influx of people arriving at a site where an incident occurred.
“(The plan) gives our first responders room to work and not have to worry about navigating traffic because the parents are coming to the same area to get their children as the responders are trying to get in to work the situation,” DeChant said.
Earlier this year, 769 students reunited with their parents and guardians within 110 minutes following an emergency situation at East Knox High School.
“I’m pretty proud of the way that it’s been built over the last five years,” DeChant said.
What’s next?
DeChant will begin at the Fredericktown Police Department as a patrolman and — following a transition — will become chief of police.
“I’ve talked to Chief Jay Sheffer. He’s got a lot on his plate with teaching (at Central Ohio Technical College) … he’s looking at stepping back, and eventually I’ll take that leadership role as the chief of police,” Dechant said.
According to Rick Lanuzza, director of Knox County 911, Chief Sheffer recommended DeChant in May. Sheffer became chief of police in January 2026.
“(DeChant) will be working alongside Jay, relearning the ropes,” Lanuzza said.
Lanuzza predicts that the transition will occur in late summer or early fall.
“His background with the EMA and the police … he understands both sides of it now,” Fredericktown Mayor Jerry Day said.
DeChant’s decision to join FPD was recent, but one that Day supports.
“He’ll be a good asset to the village … JT will do a good job,” Day said.
“It’s kind of like going home,” DeChant said. “I’m proud of Knox County and the resiliency that’s here.”
By taking over the role of police chief, DeChant will join Fire Chief Douglas Neighbarger and soon-to-be EMS Chief Alexis Haught as new village leadership.
DeChant hopes they can work together and rally the community together.
“We’ll rebuild, and there’ll be growing pains, I’m sure, with all of us, but, I think, in the end everything will be better than expected,” DeChant said.
“I always wanted to leave things better than when I found them, so I feel like I’ve done that here, and I can do that again.”
