GU alum assumes leadership of Greenville Police Department
Published: June 24, 2024
Author: Dave Bell
After serving in several capacities on the Greenville Police Department during the past seven years, Bryan Waugh recently was sworn in as chief.
It’s an opportunity to stretch himself professionally, but the Greenville University grad also views it as an opportunity to put his faith into practice.
“The biggest thing that faith brings to this job is to see people as God sees them,” he said. “Everybody has junk that they’re dealing with, and I try to treat them with respect. I want to help them see that the things they’re doing that bring them into contact with us aren’t patterns that are doing anything positive for them.”
A native of Granite City, Waugh came to GU in 2011 to study Criminal Justice and continue his athletic career in football and track. He played tackle and tight end on the football team for two years and was a thrower on the track team for four years (discus, weight, and hammer).
“The atmosphere at GU is hard to beat,” Waugh said. “My coaches were super-important in getting me here, and once I was on campus they helped me grow as an athlete and as a person. Greg Pennington, my social work professor, also was very influential. I love the family feel here.”
Waugh’s first contact with the Greenville Police Department came after his junior year when he did a summer internship there.
Following graduation in 2015, he landed a job at a juvenile detention center in the St. Louis area. Then, in March of 2017, an opening came up on the GPD staff and he was hired. He served as patrolman, investigator, and most recently, as sergeant.
“I’ve worked with people who have been great examples of what a police officer should be,” Waugh said. “Watching them has helped me see how we can make a difference in the community.”
In assuming the chief position, Waugh replaces Stefan Neece, another GU alum, who served as chief since 2021.
“I’m going into a positive situation because the people before me set us up for success,” Waugh said. “I’m surrounded by people who are very good at what they do. My goal is to make the department even better than it is now.
“As chief, I want to be accessible to the public and present law enforcement in a positive way. But we will be tough when we need to – especially on issues like drug interdiction. We must protect the community from drug traffickers. Drug abuse is a downward spiral that hurts people and ruins lives.”
Waugh and his wife, Ashley, have two young children. She is a Bond County native and a GU alum.
