Search for Police Chief Continues; Lt. Stefanski Appointed Interim Chief

Whitefish Bay Police Chief Robert Jacobs will say goodbye on June 4, and his shoes will be filled by Lt. Ron Stefanski until the search for a permanent police chief is completed.

Jacobs to the Village Board in February. Before coming to Bay seven years ago, he served as the police chief in Brookfield.

The village normally pays 50 percent of unused sick time – $13,000, in Jacobs' case – but because Jacobs pulled a pension when leaving Brookfield and his contract with Whitefish Bay was unclear, the Village Board approved an agreement Monday that awards him a reduced separation payment of $10,000.

On Wednesday, the Police Commission appointed Stefanski as interim police chief, effective June 5, to serve until a permanent chief is selected. Stefanski, 49, has been with the department for 25 1/2 years, starting as a patrolman and being promoted to lieutenant five years ago.

The commission has narrowed the field of 27 candidates down to 10, and the commission will complete their telephone interviews of candidates for police chief by June 12. The commission will meet after the phone interviews to discuss the next steps in the recruitment process.