For years, John Burlett had a morning routine of coming to the office early so he could be at Edgeworth Elementary for student arrival.
It was one of the regular joys the police chief experienced throughout his long career, and one of the few he said will be missed as he moves on to his next chapter.
“I can’t be tied to an office,” Burlett said on March 9. “When you become chief, there are certain responsibilities you have to do inside. I got to get out of here. I got to go ride around. I got to see the people. That’s what I’ve been doing. I was doing it today. That’s my life out there (on patrol). … I’m going to miss these residents.”
Burlett, 65, of Economy plans to retire this year after 47 years in law enforcement, including 38 years in the borough.
The chief believes he is the oldest and most tenured officer in Quaker Valley.
His last working day at the office was March 11 because he is taking paid time off. His last official day is June 2.
Lt. William Och is expected to handle day-to-day operations while Burlett is on vacation and during the police chief search.
“Now that I’m retiring, I look back and reminisce at my career and I ask myself, ‘Where did the time go?’ ” Burlett said.
Lifetime of service
A childhood dream of joining the Air Force and working on airplanes turned into a different lifetime of public service.
Burlett, a 1978 Quaker Valley grad, started his law enforcement career in Bell Acres in November 1979.
He was serving as a firefighter for Big Sewickley Creek Volunteer Fire Department and working in a steel mill in Ambridge when he was approached about a career change.
“At that time, you could work as a police officer for one year without attending the police academy,” Burlett said. “So when I started, I had no formal police training.”
Burlett would soon enter the Allegheny County Police Academy and graduate in April 1980.
He would go on to work for Leet, Coraopolis and Conway police departments part-time before being hired full-time by the Richmond, Va., Bureau of Police in 1994.
He returned to the Quaker Valley area with his wife, Bonny, who was expecting their first child, in 1988, and began policing in Edgeworth.
Burlett worked his way up the ranks from patrolman to corporal, sergeant and was promoted to chief in September 2021.
He took over for John English, who retired in early September after serving the community for 27 years.
Burlett called English a great mentor who was instrumental in his growth as an officer.
He also recalled lessons from Jim Creese, who was chief when Burlett was hired by Edgeworth.
“I remember him telling me, ‘You are just not working for Edgeworth Borough,’” Burlett recalled. “‘You are now a big part of Edgeworth Borough.’”
Those words really made an impact.
“He taught me that community relations and being involved in the community is so important,” Burlett said. “I have continued that way of policing and stressed that to all the officers that work here.”
Memorable case
One case Burlett said he will not forget came the same year he was appointed chief.
Police were dispatched for a stabbing in Leet at what is now called Watson Institute, which provides specialized education for children with disabilities.
Burlett said a bus matron had stabbed a teacher, got on a bus and held a student in a wheelchair hostage.
Leetsdale Police Chief Dan Raible was able to distract the suspect so Burlett could get on the bus and rescue the student.
When talking about other highlights and lowlights, tragic accidents and intense investigations, the chief said a missed opportunity was not winning a nationwide contest for best-dressed police department in the 1990s.
He showed a picture of himself standing in uniform next to a 1992 Ford Crown Victoria, which he called the best darn police car ever.
Times have changed
Burlett said the major change to police work throughout his career has been the technology.
“I never thought in my entire life that I’d be carrying a taser on my belt,” Burlett said. “That was Star Trek stuff.”
The chief recalled Edgeworth had one typewriter to share when he started and used blue carbon paper for reports.
Now the department has license plate readers in its cars that can automatically populate information in seconds. Officers can print traffic citations from their vehicles.
Burlett said one of the programs he is proud to have implemented is increased training. Officers must get a minimum of 24 extra hours of training each year, double the 12-hour annual training mandate.
Borough support
Council vice president Ivan Hofman has known Burlett for a long time.
“I have known John for 20 years and was involved in his promotion to Sargent and then to chief,” Hofman said.
“Gary Smith, the borough mayor, knows him quite well, too. Originally, the police reported to the mayor until we made a change a few years ago. I am currently the chair of the police committee. John is an outstanding public official and has served our community well. He introduced numerous innovations in his tenure as chief — tasers, body cameras are just a couple that come to mind. He will be greatly missed by all who had the good fortune to know him.
Borough manager Ellen Politi called Burlett a friend and an outstanding borough employee
“He deserves a good, relaxing retirement,” Politi said.
Council plans to celebrate Burlett’s retirement in April.
Hofman said the borough has a succession plan and intends to promote from within, but would not say who would be the next chief.
Burlett said he is not partaking in finding his replacement, but did recommend Och for the position.
Oct has at least 20 years of experience in Cranberry and has had stints at other departments before joining Edgeworth in 2023.
Politi said the Civil Service Commission had not started the screening process as of March 9.
A message left for Smith about the chief’s retirement was not returned at press time.
Family support
Burlett said he would not have made it this far in life without the love and support of his wife, their son Andrew, his wife Casey and grandson Garrett.
John and Bonny will celebrate their 42nd anniversary in July.
Burlett said they were set up on a blind date by friends in 1980 and she has been around for nearly his entire career.
Being an officer and a family man for a long time can be challenging.
“Even in small departments, you don’t understand how much we see and how much that we deal with and have to take home to our families,” Burlett said. “They have to give you support. If they don’t give you support, you don’t have a family.”
Bonny was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2024. It was an eye-opening experience for the whole family.
“When you put that into perspective, life’s too short to keep working,” Burlett said. “She’s doing fine. She’s a trooper. She’s over her treatments and everything like that, but it’s an eye-opener.”
Burlett said he looks forward to spending more time with the family and less time worrying about late-night emergency phone calls.
“I totally have faith in the officers that I’ve worked with,” Burlett said about leaving the department. “They will continue doing the fantastic job that they do here. Edgeworth is such a unique place. It’s the best-kept secret in Allegheny County.”
Burlett’s salary is $134,425. Och’s wages are $57.44 per hour.
The department has six full-time officers, including the chief.