The man who announced his campaign for Sparks City Council on Thursday is striving to shape Sparks into a blend of small-town atmosphere and big-city benefits.

Former Sparks police officer Roy O'Connell announced he is running for the Ward 1 Sparks City Council seat on Thursday at Sparks High School, his alma mater.

O'Connell said he is proud of the city and the talented workers who keep the city running, but wants to continue progress in cutting traffic, bolstering the economy, supporting public safety needs and fortifying recreation programs, parks and fields.

"I want to make sure Sparks stays the neat community I've always known," O'Connell said.

If elected, he plans to focus on public safety, road maintenance, controlled growth and infrastructure, as well as parks and recreation.

O'Connell is familiar with public safety, traffic and small business issues, as he is also co-owner of Pursuit of Excellence Driving Academy, LLC, and O'Connell/Tallent Sign Service.

He and Washoe County Sheriff's Detective John Spencer are opening the defensive driving academy this month, which will include teen driving courses, commercial fleet vehicle courses and certified Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC) training for police, fire and ambulance drivers.

O'Connell, 52, is a third-generation Sparks resident who has seen the city grow and is familiar with its strengths and struggles. He graduated from Sparks High School in 1974, and has taken various college courses through his work at the Sparks Police Department. In his 26-plus years working for the SPD, O'Connell has experience as a field traffic officer, in the K-9 unit, SWAT, honor guard, detectives department, motorcycle traffic patrol and on the Major Accident Investigation Team.

"Working in traffic so long, I saw so many tragic accidents that were avoidable if only the kids knew what to do," O'Connell said. "Hopefully, we can educate the kids (at the driving academy). Who better than a cop to instruct them on how to avoid collisions?"

He said he would work to ensure traffic moves efficiently on local roadways.

"People are getting frustrated; they're running late because of the traffic, and are getting in accidents," O'Connell said. "These roads were not built for this capacity of traffic — Pyramid Way, Sparks and Vista boulevards. Our roads need to be able to keep up with the growth."

He stressed the importance of ongoing road maintenance in keeping long-term road expenses low.

"The city has done a great job, especially with the slurry seal program," O'Connell said.

He said a strong economy is key to maintaining a high quality of life for all residents since it affects the operations of the city, as well as the peace and prosperity of the people who call Sparks home.

"We need to bring in businesses with high-paying jobs and we need adequate roads to move them around the city," O'Connell said. "I like the idea of development, as much as I hate to see Sparks become a big city. But growth should pay for itself."

He said he would work with existing efforts to bring new businesses into the area.

"We need to solicit new companies to the area and show them that Sparks has a lot to offer," O'Connell said. "We need to create more jobs for people in our area."

In his experience, a stronger economy means more tax revenue to support public safety services, leading to less crime overall.

"Public safety has got to stay up with growth," O'Connell said.

Redevelopment is an important part of the puzzle, he said.

"I would like to see the downtown corridor get finished," O'Connell said. "The plans look great. We need to have a big year-round venue in downtown Sparks to revitalize downtown."

A strong economy and an improving housing market would lessen the impact on local residents to fund large-scale expenses, such as roads and flood control. O'Connell said the city already has 95 miles of roads to maintain, and the city should not expand too far beyond its current borders. This would require expanded city services and more tax revenue to fund them.

He added that Sparks' strong parks and recreation programs and facilities must be maintained and expanded.

"All community sports bring money into the area," O'Connell said. "We need to maintain what we have, and we need to find new sports and entertainment venues for kids. My big concern is that the kids have an outlet for all their energy, to enjoy their life and be able to grow, and not get into trouble."

O'Connell coordinated a massive community effort in February 2007 to organize the "Every 15 Minutes" mock car crash and student education effort at Sparks High School about the deadly effects of drunken driving.

O'Connell has portrayed Santa Claus for Shop with a Cop, SPD's children's Christmas party, SPD's Senior Phone Patrol lunch, and for the O'Brien Middle School's Christmas party. O'Connell has also donated time to the Sparks Heritage Foundation to build display cabinets for the Sparks Heritage Museum, and also coordinated three fund-raisers for families going through difficult times.

O'Connell was named "Police Officer of the Year" in 1985 for Bravery, Lifesaving and Heroism, and the Police Officer of the Year in 1997 for Outstanding Service to the Community.

If successful, O'Connell would follow a career path left by his father, Lloyd. The senior O'Connell served on the Sparks City Council from 1990 to 1991, after he was appointed when Orin Alexander became the acting mayor.

"I want to make sure Sparks goes in the right direction, and make sure growth is covered by our infrastructure," O'Connell said. "I was taught you can't sit back and complain, you need to step up and be involved in finding a solution."

O'Connell is running for the Ward 1 seat vacated by John Mayer, who will reach his term limit this year.

Although official filing for office has not begun, O'Connell already faces a competitor — fellow Democrat and Sparks longtime resident Julia Ratti. Ratti is president and owner of Strategic Management Services in Sparks.