New Police Officer and New Fire Police Officer Join Cranberry Roster

Cranberry Township has two new faces protecting the public.

At a recent Board of Supervisors meeting, officials swore in John Dolan as the newest member of the Cranberry Township police force.

Chad Straessley also was welcomed to the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company as a fire police officer.

A Hampton Township native, Dolan attended Community College of Allegheny County and was a member of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard Reserve as a military police officer, Cranberry officials said.

Before he could compete his degree in criminal justice, he was activated to serve a year in Iraq. Dolan also was assigned several details to retrieve prisoners of war from Iraq and Afghanistan and transport them to Guantanamo Bay, Cranberry officials said.

After completing his military obligation, Dolan attended the Allegheny County Police Academy. He graduated in 2009.

Prior to joining the Cranberry police force, Dolan was a fulltime officer in Etna.

The addition of Dolan brings Cranberry’s police roster to 28 officers, Public Safety Director Jeff Schueler said. This includes Cpl. Dan Hahn, who returned to the department last week on a part-time basis.

Dolan replaces Officer Ed Olshanski, who retired over the summer after more than two decades as a Cranberry police officer, Schueler said. Dolan will serve a one-year probationary period. The current starting salary for a new township police officer is $54,274.

As a volunteer fire police officer with the Cranberry fire company, Straessley will regulate traffic and security when firefighters are at a scene as well as at other community events requiring crowd control.

Fire police officers are under the general direction of the police department when performing their duties.

A 2006 alumni of Seneca Valley High School, Straessley completed the Butler County Vo-Tech program in automotive repairs. In 2008, he graduated from CCAC’s Master Mechanics Certification program.

He has worked at Milbert's Car Care Center on Rowan Road in Cranberry since 2004, according to Cranberry officials.

Straessley’s family also has a history of involvement with the Cranberry fire company.

His grandfather, Roger Straessley, was a founding member of the company. His uncle, Andre Hack, is a company charter member and a current life member.

Would you like express a welcome to the new officers? Add your thoughts to the comment section below.