(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost today announced the hiring of Delaware Police Chief Bruce Pijanowski as the assistant superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) beginning Monday, May 23, 2022.
Chief Pijanowski, whose last day with the Delaware Police will be Friday May 20, joins BCI Superintendent Joe Morbitzer and replaces recently retired Assistant Superintendent Heinz von Eckartsberg.
“Chief Pijanowski brings a passion for law enforcement that will help us continue to raise the level of work being done at BCI – which is already among the best in the nation,” Yost said. “He understands that BCI’s job is to help local law enforcement, and his background as a hands-on chief gives him front-row perspective into what’s needed on the streets of Ohio.”
Pijanowski rose through the ranks in Delaware, starting as an officer in 1988. He served as a detective, sergeant, captain and assistant chief before being named chief in 2012. He is a graduate of Bowling Green State University and the FBI National Academy, and has served since 2016 on the executive committee of the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police.
Also at BCI, Mark Kollar has been promoted to Special-Agent-in-Charge. The longtime special agent supervisor for BCI most recently served as the statewide coordinator for officer-involved critical incident (OICI) investigations and now will oversee various units within BCI.
Kollar’s book “Best Practices for Investigating an Officer-Involved Critical Incident” was published by the Attorney General’s Office in 2021. Kollar is a graduate of Hocking College and Ohio University.
“Coach Woody Hayes said it best, ‘You win with people,’ ” Yost said. “With the expertise of these two law enforcement professionals helping lead BCI, I’d bet on our guys every time.”
BCI serves as Ohio’s crime lab and criminal-records keeper and offers round-the-clock expert and impartial investigative services to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Bethany McCorkle: 614-955-8848
-30-