Municipal officials are considering whether to restore the position of lieutenant in the police department.
An ordinance that would make that possible is being drafted by supporters in the City Council. The lieutenant’s position was abolished in the mid-1980s to save costs.
But with the growth experienced in this community, city officials said they believe the job should be brought back. Former Police Chief Peter Bigalke began working on returning a lieutenant’s job to the department last winter as part of his plans for the future, said Sgt. Joe Hallman, the city’s acting police chief.
Though a push to create the job is under way, there’s a good indication that it may not be filled right away. The city is struggling with budget problems right now, said Mayor Thomas Siehoff.
But, Siehoff said, he believes the position would be an asset to the department.
“There are lot of things the chief does that he shouldn’t be doing,” Siehoff said. “With a lieutenant you can take a lot of burden off the chief.”
