'Westee' Report: Deputy Chief Announces Retirement, New Days Dawning in Shorewood

The word is out, our beloved [sic] Deputy Police Chief, Terry Zimmerman, announced his retirement effective Nov. 30.

This will provide quite a change in the village. Removal of signage will come back to acceptable levels. All the confiscated signs in the police garage can now go somewhere else and not so many added to the collection. Those that regularly hold garage sales can breathe a sigh of relief. Instead of holding sales twice a year, they can now probably hold them maybe three times per year without fear of Terry's (oh-ist) attacks.

On a more serious note; with the Deputy Chief's retirement, money will now be available to staff up the patrol officers, putting more feet on the street and less butt in a chair. Currently, we are three patrol officers short across the shifts. There continues unmet needs in the department, new squads and an upgrade to the communications system and computers.

When the Chief took over, he eliminated the position of Captain to save money and then turned around and made the position of Deputy Chief. I hope he sees the wisdom of his original decision and decides not to add one more butt in a chair.

From what I understand there will be an official going away for Terry on Nov. 30 in the Library basement. I don't know if it will open for the public or not.

As winter officially sets in, brighter days are ahead for the village. The only problem is when we Westees get together we'll have one less thing to criticize.

Best luck to Terry and maybe now he can concentrate and take a few more strokes off his golf game.