Longtime Akron City Prosecutor Doug Powley will be retiring after 23 years on the job.

Powley tells AkronNewsNow.com it's the people that truly made his job great.

"I've been able to work with some great people over the years, and hopefully I've done some good for the city."

His retirement will be effective Wednesday.

Powley served as the city's top prosecutor since 1989 and also served in various law capacities including assistant city law director and in the Summit County Legal Defender's Office.

He says there's been a lot of fundamental changes in the prosecutor's office over the years he's served Akron.

"One of the big things we  started and I instigated was the Direct Indictment Program, which saves taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars a year," he says.

"In the past we would have to get police officers to come in twice, witnesses, and others before the defendant made their plea, so the Direct Indictment Program has been a very cost-effective and less traumatic plan for our citizens."

Some of the other changes Powley talked about  were the development of specialty courts in Akron including drug court, DUI court, and family violence court, among others.

One of the highlights of his career he said was arguing three cases before the Ohio Supreme Court.

The 62-year old Powley summed it up by saying his time as city prosecutor was a good experience.

"I'm going to miss the work I've been doing and it's been a good experience all around."

Powley thanked Mayor Plusquellic for the opportunity to serve as well as the rest of his colleagues and friends in the city's Law Department throughout the years.