Lodi Police Department has started accepting applications to fill the first of two vacant positions of the force. This recruitment is to fill the lieutenant position vacated by Lt. Craig Freitag who left to Lodi take the chiefs job in Clintonville in May of last year. The recent resignation of patrol officer Michael Trevarthen puts the department 2 positions down from full staffing.
Pursuing Greater Opportunities
During the turmoil in the Lodi Police Department last year–which saw the departure of several officers, including the former chief of police–patrol officer Michael Trevarthen applied for a position in Jackson, Wisconsin, but didn’t get it at that time. Trevarthen stayed with the LPD and helped it through the transition to the new police chief, Wayne Smith.
Recently, a position in Jackson was offered to Trevarthen, and he chose to accept it. The position offers a higher salary, a little more excitement, and puts him closer to his hometown and his family.
Commenting on Trevarthen’s departure, Lodi Police Chief, Wayne Smith, reiterated insights he has previously stated. Lodi is a quiet community with very little serious crime. For young officers looking to gain experience and use the skills they’ve learned, it can “lack excitement”. Smith understands, and even jokes about it.
We don’t want to encourage crime in Lodi just to retain young officers looking for more excitement.
Filling Positions in Turn
The Lodi Police Department is authorized for 7 staff positions. They currently have 5 persons on staff–including Chief Smith and Melissa Randall-O’Neil, who serves in an administrative capacity. Randall-O’Neil is not a sworn officer, so her duties do not (can not) include patrol1She’s who assists you if you stop in to the police station.. At current staffing levels, the four sworn officers–including Chief Smith–need to work 42 hours per week to provide 24/7 police protection. That assumes, however, that only one officer is ever on duty at any time–and no one takes vacation or sick leave.
Chief Smith has decided that the vacant Lieutenant position has the highest priority. This person would be an experienced and seasoned officer who can fill both administrative and patrol duties. He’s looking for someone who has leadership experience in addition to patrol experience
The job is posted in the LVC Classifieds, and a full description is available here.
Editor-in-Chief
A Lodi native, Blaze attended the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay where he graduated with a degree in theatre technology & design. He has traveled extensively throughout the United States and the world–including a 6-year stint in China. He has been a teacher, a writer, a designer, and is the founder of the Redleaf Consulting Group.
Footnotes
| ↑1 | She’s who assists you if you stop in to the police station. |
|---|
Be First to Comment