Shorewood board agrees to fill deputy police chief, building inspector positions

The Shorewood Village Board on Monday authorized staff members to move forward and fill two currently vacant positions: lead building inspector and deputy police chief.

The deputy police chief position was created 16 months ago amid Police Chief Dave Banaszynski's reorganization of staffing within the department. Terry Zimmerman, then a lieutenant on the force, was promoted to the position, and retired in December.

Banaszynski said there are a number of virtues to having a deputy police chief position, including a distinct chain of command, maintaining departmental continuity and allowing for sergeants to be back on the street - a scenario that was not always possible without the position.

The lead building inspector hire is part of an overall reorganization to the planning and development department. Responsibilities for the position will be absorbed by two currently vacant inspection positions within the department.