Three stripes were added to the arm of Oxford Village Police Officer Clint Ascroft last week as he was formally promoted to the rank of sergeant during the village council meeting.

“This promotion is greatly appreciated,” he said. “It’s an important achievement in my career and life.”

He vowed to put forth his “best effort” in this new role and try to be at least “half as good as my predecessor.”

His predecessor is Police Chief Mike Solwold, who served as sergeant from 2002 until this year when he was tapped to lead the department.

“There have been a lot of changes in our department over the past several months,” Ascroft said. “I’m excited and humbled to accept this promotion in what I feel is a promising new era for the Oxford Police Department.”

Ascroft has been with the village police since 2002 when he was hired as a part-time officer. He was promoted to a full-time position in 2005.

Ascroft wears many hats at the department including investigator, field training officer, evidence technician and property officer.

In 2014, Oxford’s American Legion Ladies Auxiliary Unit 108 presented Ascroft with the “Most Outstanding Police Officer of the Year” award.

During the promotion ceremony, Solwold explained the village agency “strives to accomplish” its “mission to improve our community and maintain public safety” through problem-solving techniques, leadership, creativity, forming partnerships and “always striving for citizen satisfaction.”

“We value quality service, fairness and integrity,” he said.

“These values are nonnegotiable,” Solwold noted. “Each of these (plays) an important role in how and why we do our jobs. Officer Ascroft has these values.”