Crime & Safety

Darien Mayor Weaver Offers New Details on Police Chief Recruitment

City hopes to fill vacancy by September.

Mayor Kathleen Weaver said during Monday’s Darien City Council meeting that her goal is to have a new police chief installed by September.

Weaver announced last Wednesday—the day after Police Chief Robert Pavelchik retired—that the city would of both internal and external candidates to fill the vacancy.

A citizens committee will aid in the search, she said.

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During Monday’s meeting, Weaver said that she will select the members of the committee and that it is not something for which residents can apply.

Weaver will appoint a new chief from the final candidates, contingent upon a council vote, she said.

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The city will eliminate one of the two deputy chief positions at the end of the process, she said.

“[W]e are a little management heavy at this point, and this is the right thing to do to reduce the police department budget,” Weaver said.

If the city does not promote one of the current deputies, Weaver said one of them would return to sergeant rank.

This is the city’s third proposal within as many weeks to fill the police chief role.

On May 13, the city released a that would have eliminated the position of police chief, transferring the administrative duties of the chief to City Administrator Bryon Vana.

The city council postponed voting on that ordinance after residents about the proposal at the May 16 meeting.

Vana released a memo May 19 detailing a second proposal that would —John Cooper or David Skala—to chief. Under that scenario, Vana would have assumed the same administrative duties as he would have under the first proposal.

Residents again May 23 during a special city council meeting to discuss the issue.

In Wednesday’s release, Weaver stated:

It is my responsibility, among others, to ensure that there is proper and professional leadership in the Police Department, and I have the obligation to recommend the best leadership to the council. In that regard, I have reflected on all recent options related to the police vacancy and recommended to the council that Darien conduct an open recruitment for a police chief from qualified candidates from both within and outside of our organization.

Darien resident Brad Drake canceled a protest scheduled to occur before Monday's meeting after Weaver announced the latest proposal.

The Darien City Council officially reappointed Vana as city administrator during Monday’s meeting.

Weaver said that Vana’s contract, including his fiscal year 2012 salary, has not been finalized and will be discussed at the June 20 meeting. 

“We haven’t made a decision on [his salary],” she said.


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