Latrobe welcomes back former officer as new police chief

Latrobe’s council chambers were filled with people this week as they watched a familiar face become the city’s police chief.

Richard Bosco will be returning to the department and will replace John Sleasman, who retired last year.

“It’s great to be home,” Bosco said Monday as he took the oath to become chief.

Bosco, 66, served as a military police officer in the Marines. He was a patrolman in Latrobe from 1986-90.

“It’s humbling, and it’s exciting to be here,” Bosco said. “Latrobe is the fabric of what I was woven from. I was born here.I graduated here. My family is here and I look forward to being back here.”

Bosco began serving on task forces for the state Attorney General’s Office in September 1990, including as a special agent with the bureau of criminal investigations, handling white collar crime with a specialty in environmental crimes. He led the attorney general’s narcotics task force in the South Hills for 23 years.

Bosco has received awards from multiple agencies including the National Security Agency, the FBI and the state Senate. He previously served for eight years as the Lincoln borough’s police chief where he was awarded the Silver Star of Bravery by the National Police Officers Association.

Officials from Lincoln attended the swearing-in to celebrate with Bosco.

“To the team that I’m leaving behind, to the friends that I’m leaving behind, those friendships will never fade,” Bosco said. “To the friends that I’m about to make, to the team that I’m about to work with, ask any of these officers here tonight — we work as a team, always. My guys will tell you that I constantly push the bar.”

Sleasman was chief from 2018 until he retired in August. Sgt. Robert Derk was named officer in charge Aug. 31 and has served as acting chief since Sept. 12.