Police Chief Pavelchik Announces Retirement

Chief Robert Pavelchik will be retiring at the end of May, Mayor Kathleen Weaver said during Monday’s .

“For me, it’s a very bittersweet moment to accept the news that he’s retiring,” Weaver said.

Pavelchik sent a handwritten letter to City Council members last week announcing his decision.

“I handwrote that on purpose because it was personal, and I wanted to speak from my heart,” he said. “For me it was a personal touch to thank you all very much for the opportunity you’ve given me.”

Pavelchik has served his entire 33-year police career in Darien, starting as a patrol officer in 1978.

Before he became an officer, Pavelchik said he spent three years working in a Woodridge-based dispatch center that also served Darien, allowing him to observe the work of Darien’s police on a daily basis.

So when it came time to decide between joining the Darien force or one in a larger community, he said the choice was simple.

Pavelchik said he is proud of the men and women who he’s shepherded through the department during his nine-year tenure as chief.

“I’ve seen a lot of guys move up,” he said. “I like to think I had some impact. I’ve tried to leave the place better than it was before I started.”

He said he’s also proud to have been part of the team that arrested and charged Johnny Borizov and Jacob Nodarse, the two men for a triple homicide that happened in a Darien home in March 2010.

Weaver said Pavelchik “elevated the police department to a very professional level.”

“For that, we are very grateful,” she said.

Weaver said she has not determined who she will appoint as the new chief, but a decision will be made within the next couple of weeks.