A generous high school graduation gift has served Todd Veselicky well.

Veselicky, 53, graduated from Kiski Area High School in 1986 and was pondering his next move.

“I was not college material,” said Veselicky, a lifelong resident of East Vandergrift.

Veselicky was friends with numerous police officers and first responders in the Alle-Kiski Valley and decided to pursue a career in law enforcement. He enrolled in the Police Academy at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1987.

“The tuition was a gift from my grandmother,” he said.

Thirty-five years later, Veselicky made the decision to retire from the Allegheny Township Police Department on Dec. 30. Township supervisors are expected to approve his retirement during their meeting Monday.

During his law enforcement career, Veselicky served with three police departments: Leechburg, and Kiski and Allegheny townships.

He said his job was made easier thanks to relationships with fellow officers from Washington Township, Vandergrift and other communities in the Alle-Kiski Valley.

“I’ve met and worked with so many amazing police officers in my career who’ve taught me so much,” Veselicky said. “I wish I could name them all because they all had a huge part in my career. The bond with all of them can’t be broken.”

Police officers who influenced Veselicky, he said, include Chief Larry Kulick, the late Cap. Raymond Fiorina and Sgt. Allan Tarr of the Leechburg Police Department; Chief Robert Derringer of the New Kensington Police Department; and Chief John Marhefka and Scott Miller of the Lower Burrell Police Department.

“It’s all the other guys and girls I owe a debt of gratitude to because they always made sure that I got home to my son and parents,” Veselicky said.

Allegheny Township Supervisor Jamie Morabito praised Veselicky’s dedication and said he will be hard to replace.

“His 28 years of service will never go unnoticed. Todd was a first-class officer and always had an open ear for the residents of Allegheny Township,” Morabito said. “I’ve known Todd more than 20 years, and he’s always exhibited true professionalism throughout his career. I can only wish him the best in his retirement.”

His first beat was in Leechburg, where he earned $5.25 an hour in 1987.

Vaselicky said serving in the mostly rural areas of Leechburg and Allegheny Township often made for unorthodox police calls.

There were lots of animal calls. One memorable one encounter involved a rogue horse in Allegheny Township.

“A horse got loose and was running around on the road. My partner and I had no idea what to do. And then it started coming at us and chased us around the car,” Veselicky said. “Finally a farmer came over, got a rope around it and walked it back to its stable.”

Veselicky initially was hired as a part-time officer with Allegheny Township before being promoted to full time in 1993.

There, he worked primarily as a field training officer.

“It was rewarding to train new officers in the way I was trained, and so many of them have gone on to make great careers in the Valley,” Veselicky said.

As for his darkest hours while on patrol?

“Being on duty and responding to Officer Derrick Kotecki and Officer Brian Shaw — they were taken from us by pure evil,” Veselicky said. Both were slain in the line of duty. “You never forget those days and seeing the heartbreak on all of the officers’ faces and knowing they still had a job to do.”

Veselicky, once an avid golfer, said he enjoys camping and fishing at his camp.

“After retirement, I’ll get another job, but I won’t be working shift work, weekends and holidays if I can help it,” Veselicky said. “Almost 35 years of shift work takes a toll on you.

“Thank you to the residents and businesses in Allegheny Township. It was an honor and privilege to work in such a great community.”

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