Clyde Zelch was unanimously appointed Thursday by Gerald’s Board of Aldermen to serve his second stint as Chief of Police.

Zelch was Mayor Otis Schulte’s  first appointee to that position, but resigned after two months to serve in Afghanistan as an international police officer. He had previously provided the same service in Iraq from 2004 to 2006. He will be granted a leave of absence from June 1 through the first week in July, so that he may return to Afghanistan to complete his military work.

Zelch attended grade school at Gerald Elementary, graduated from Owensville High in 1984 and then served in the U.S. Air Force. After that he ran Zelch Welding for many years. He served two terms as mayor for the City of Rosebud before being elected City Marshal in 1999.

He trained at Southeast Missouri University and in 1999 received his POST certification as a law enforcement officer.

At the University of Missouri at Columbia he took the most advanced law enforcement training offered,  resulting in a Class A certification. The city of Gerald only requires  Class B certification.

He and his wife Emma (Carroll) have six children, three grandchildren and live in Rosebud.

Zelch must leave June 1 to report back to Afghanistan, therefore missing his 24th wedding anniversary by one day.

Zelch has vowed to rebuild the city’s police force.

“I know it will take time to rebuild the trust, but I’m willing to put in that time,” he said.
Zelch, Patrol Officer Andrew Rosenkoetter and Reserve Officer John Zelch, brother to the chief, are all that remain of Gerald’s police force. Zelch is actively recruiting other officers to join his team. The Republican will introduce the members of the police force to our readers as they are hired.