Aikens named to interim police chief’s job

Joe Aikens, Sidney Assistant Police Chief, has been chosen to serve as Interim Police Chief for the Sidney Police Department and will begin his new position tomorrow, according to a press release this morning from Gary Person, City of Sidney City Manager.

He will be filling in for Sidney Police Chief Mike Brown, who announced in February that he would be resigning to return to Kansas to be with family members battling through illnesses.

Chief Brown’s last day serving the City of Sidney is today.

“I’m sad that our chief left, but I am proud to step up for our department and maintain it,” said Aikens.

Maj. Aikens has had a lengthy career with the Sidney Police Department – starting out in Sidney as a dispatcher in 1982.

“He was then promoted to patrolman in 1986, moving into a command position with the department as a Sergeant in 1991 and then assistant chief in 2001,” according to Person.

But this is not the first time that Aikens has served an interim chief position.

According to Person, from Oct. 2009 to April 2011 Aikens took on the extra responsibilities as commanding officer in charge when there was a vacancy in the position.

“The assistant chief is a 31-year veteran and 22-year command officer with the Sidney Police Department and certainly knows the community very well. He also served as our command officer in charge during a previous vacancy following the retirement of Police Chief Larry Cox in 2009,” said Person. “Joe’s well prepared for the challenge and I have full confidence in him and the other command officers, which include Lt. Keith Andrew, Sgt. Tim Craig and Sgt. Joe Rieken.”

Aikens’ new position is expected to last up to 4 months before a new police chief is appointed.

Person said that city officials have already began the process of finding a permanent replacement for Brown by following the Civil Service Laws of the State of Nebraska.

“We’re fortunate to be at full staff, other than the Chief’s position, and we have a good mix of veteran and younger officers,” Person said.

“The last time the process took 17 months, but the length of time was due primarily to budget issues created by unanticipated sales tax refunds initiated by the State of Nebraska with only a one month’s notice to the City, making it impossible to adjust in the middle of a budget year.”

Person said that his team will work hard in getting a replacement sooner than the last appointment took.

“We do not anticipate similar problems this time around and we want to get the chief selected by mid-Summer, if not sooner,” said the city manager.