Village Officials Support Search for New Deputy Police Chief
Police and village officials say filling vacant position is key to keeping officers on the street and allowing the chief focusing on big-picture department tasks.
Does Shorewood really need a deputy police chief?
Police and village officials answered that question with a "yes" Monday night and now the search is on for a candidate to fill the post.
The village's Police Commission will oversee the search and will interview candidates.
The job opened up after Terry Zimmerman turned in his badge and gun, and retired on Nov. 30 after serving as deputy chief for 16 months of his 27-year career on the force. It's unclear how long the search process will take.
Police Chief David Banaszynski has said keeping the position was key in the department. A deputy chief in Shorewood means more officers patrolling the streets, where they should be. Banaszynski said the deputy chief serves more of an administrative role, freeing him up to focus on strategic tasks and officers to keep the village safe.
Trustee Don Ford echoed Banaszynski on Monday, saying he sees the chief position as a big-picture, planning and budget position, and the deputy chief post as leader who oversees the day-to-day operations.
“We have found that not having this deputy chief role takes officers off the street and puts them into a sort of administrative role,” Ford said. “The position was left vacant for a long time, which put a real strain on the chief."
With Banaszynski likely to retire in the next few year, officials said filling the position might peg a successor to head the police force.
Trustee Patrick Linnane said if something were to happen to Banaszynski, there would be no one to take over the police force as things stand now.
Trustee Ellen Eckman, who cast the lone vote against filling the post, said neighboring communities don't have a deputy chief and in this economy, filling the position may not be the right move.
Lyle Ruble
5:51 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Here we go again. We should have learned that a Deputy Chief is the last thing we need. If the chief can't handle his job, then maybe we need to be searching for his replacement instead.
Bob McBride
6:24 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Knew you'd be on this one, Lyle. Just out of curiosity, how many officers make up the force in Shorewood?
Lyle Ruble
6:39 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
@Bob McBride...I'm not sure what the force level is now. Normally they would have between 26 to 28 in the department. Before the Deputy Chief retired, management included: chief, deputy chief, two lieutenants , three sergeants and up to eighteen patrol offices.
Bob McBride
8:21 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Sounds management-heavy to me, considering the size of the force. Since we're talking about professional police officers who one would assume don't require loads of supervision, it's certainly reasonable to consider that it could be cut back by one. If the chief is having a problem keeping up with the day to day busywork, maybe a secretary is in order rather than a Deputy Chief.
Lyle Ruble
8:24 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
@Bob McBride...He already has an administrative assistant.
Bob McBride
11:09 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Well there must be something extra difficult about keeping you Shorewoodians in line, because it doesn't appear most of the surrounding communities have a need for a Deputy Police Chief. You don't seem like the type to be pulling Ollies out in front of P&S or spray painting obscenities on the fancy bike path bridge, Lyle, so it must be them darn kids.
CowDung
11:25 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
I blame the Westies...
Lyle Ruble
12:39 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
@CowDung...We station the village police on Oakland to keep the Westees from crossing to the eastside of Oakland. We must protect the big property tax payers. At least with another deputy chief on board we'll won't have anymore people abusing the yard sales.
Lyle Ruble
12:43 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
@Bob McBride...Some in Shorewood are talking about creating a "gated community" to keep out all the unwanted aliens. We'll need more police to patrol for the aliens. Next we will have to build a jail for holding them until they can be released back into Riverwest, WFB and Milwaukee.
CowDung
1:23 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
thought the gates were intended to keep out the political conservatives...
Lyle Ruble
1:27 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
@CowDung...Naw, the conservatives are the only ones working and we need their money so the rest of us can enjoy our socialist society.
The Donny Show
9:10 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
I think we ought to save lots of money and just have one officer like the Old West Days.
Joe Peterlin
12:52 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Having the privilege of observing Chief Banaszynski for many years, I can say with the utmost confidence that he is far and way, the hardest working, most committed public employee in the Village of Shorewood. I would challenge anyone, of any age, to attempt to keep pace with the consistent effort, energy and intelligence that he that he brings to our community on a daily basis. He is an exceptional individual, who even when off duty, continues to serve the community as a shining example of all the things we take pride in here in Shorewood. In my humble opinion, we could not possibly hope to have a better Chief of Police and neighbor.
As a suggestion to anyone who doubts this, for starters, enroll in the Shorewood Citizens Police Academy and see first hand, what community policing entails. Beyond that, get involved in some of the myriad of community events and community service opportunities available here in Shorewood. Chances are, you will find Chief Banaszynski lending a helping hand.
CowDung
1:22 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
I agree completely with Joe's praise of Chief Banaszynski service to the community--he is a hard working and dedicated police chief as well as an active member of the Shorewood Men's Club.
David Tatarowicz
11:54 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Talk about not seeing the forest for the trees --- Chief Banaszynski has "for years" advocated for the consolidation of northshore police departments, especially a consolidation of Shorewood and Whitefish Bay --- to Eliminate Excessive Managerial Positions and put More Cops on the Street !!
But since the good folks and officials of Shorewood, Whitefish Bay and the other northshore communities all want to protect their "turf" -- the Chief has to play with the cards that he has been dealt. And by any means of assessment he has been playing his cards very well for the benefit of the people he serves.
Jay Sykes
4:51 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
The success of the 'in progress' merger of NSFD dispatching and the various NS-PD dispatching groups (located @ Bayside PD) will lead to further examination of 'shared resources' for the police departments of the North Shore.