Ironton police officer promoted to sergeant – The Tribune

By Terry L. Hapney, Jr.
The Ironton Tribune

An Ironton man who had aspirations of becoming a first responder since he was a teenager got a promotion at the Ironton Police Department.
Ironton Mayor Sam Cramblit and Police Chief Dan Johnson promoted Robert Fouch from patrol officer to sergeant.
Fouch has been with the police department for eight years and said he always wanted to be a sergeant so he could provide more field training to new officers.
“I am excited to finally reach that position,” said Fouch.
Fouch began his career in South Point and had stints in Coal Grove and New Boston. He joined the Ironton Police Department in 2021.
Fouch’s passion to become a first responder began when he was young. He had family members who had ties to “the wrong side of the law.”
“I learned a lot of examples that I didn’t want to participate in that lifestyle,” he said. “It brought me into the first responder domain.”
Fouch has older cousins ​​who were in the volunteer fire department. When he turned 15, they took him to the fire department.
“It was always in the back of my mind, like, ‘Hey, you’re going to do something that has to do with first responders,’” he said.
As Fouch got older, he began coaching wrestling and jiu-jitsu, where he met many police officers, including his captain, Chad Gue.
“He looked at me one day and said, ‘Dude, you should be a police officer,'” Fouch said. “Since then, it’s been full throttle.”
Fouch is originally from Huntington and said the most rewarding part of his job, besides “coming home every night,” is helping others and giving back.
“It seems like a cliché answer, but I’ve yet to meet a police officer who hasn’t felt that way,” he said. “It’s always a form of giving back. It’s more than a job. It’s really a way of life.”
Fouch said this week has been a tough week for the Ironton Police Department due to the loss of “our beloved clerk, Cindy (Prater).”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with her family,” he said.
Chief Johnson said Fouch is “one of our better signings we’ve had in a while.”
“He deserved the promotion,” Johnson said. “He’s very down to earth. He’s older than a lot of the officers we have now. He’s 33, which doesn’t seem very old. We have a lot of young officers today.”
Johnson said Fouch coached his 18-year-old son in wrestling during his senior year at Ironton.
“He did a fantastic job,” Johnson said.
Fouch’s wife, Devin, and their children – Addy, Kiki and Ryker – were on hand at the ceremony to witness their husband and father’s promotion.