Chester police officer Mike Campbell works a traffic detail near Mugsy’s cafe on Ohio Valley Boulevard. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)

CHESTER — After briefly working in Ohio, city police officer Mike Campbell found himself back in school, getting accredited to work back in his home state.

Campbell, who had worked for Wellsville and Saline Township police after graduating from Eastern Gateway Community College in Steubenville in 2018, had to attend the West Virginia Police Academy for eight weeks after being hired by Chester police to familiarize himself with that state’s laws and policies before being deemed road ready to be solo.

He acknowledges the favorite part of his job is uncovering the unexpected. “I love that I don’t have the same routine every day,” he added.

Campbell’s longtime goal is to become a K9 handler. He likes dogs anyway, but he is fascinated how smart they are and interested in how they work.

He said that he has completed Desert Snow, which is one of the most requested criminal interdicion training programs in North America.

Founded by a retired California Highway Patrol officer with more than 600 cases under his belt involving drugs or other illegal counterband, the program teaches participants how to spot tells for drug trafficking and other criminal activity within their communities.

Campbell and his wife Emily live within Hancock County, anxiously awaiting a second child in follow to join son Bentley.