Sidney fills vacant police chief position

There's a new police chief in town.

Byron R. "B.J." Wilkinson of Litchfield, Illinois accepted the position as Sidney's new chief of police yesterday. City manager, Gary Person announced the appointment at last night's city council meeting. This hire followed the city's three month search for the right person to head the department.

"We had an exceptional field of candidates that wanted to serve as Sidney police chief," Person said. "We very feel fortunate so many law enforcement officials wanted to lead our department and become a part of our community that has such an exciting future ahead of it."

Wilkinson has served as the city of Litchfield's chief of police since 2002. Before that, he worked in law enforcement in the Mills police department in Narona County, Wyoming. While there, he worked his way up through the ranks from Corporal to Captain.

Wilkinson has a busy and varied background. He worked as an interim city administrator for seven months in Litchfield and was an adjunct professor at Lincoln Land Community College where he taught law enforcement administration and criminal justice studies.

"After living several years in this part of the county when he was in Wyoming, and having two grown sons that also live in our region, his career goal has been to return to this area of the country," Person said in a press release.

Wilkinson's past also includes involvement in various committees and organizations. He worked as the chairman of the Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council, an organization which provides training in domestic violence and sexual assault investigations and developed protocol for such investigations state-wide. He's coached various youth sports teams and has been involved in many church organizations.

The incoming chief has received several awards, including the Natrona county Peace Officer of the Year in 1991 and the Litchfield chamber of commerce Outstanding Community Service Honoree in 2012.

Wilkinson will begin managing the Sidney Police Department in late July where he will oversee 14 officers and two civilian employees. The department's yearly operating budget is $1 million.

"He also recognizes the exciting growing future in front of Sidney with several million dollars of development projects moving forward," Person reported to the press. "He's excited to be here and we're excited to have him join our team."

Wilkinson is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association and a third degree mason.

"I've always been impressed with the community, the development and growth there, and the sense that as a community the citizens, city government and the business partnerships have a real investment in the quality of life for those who live and work there," Wilkinson commented in press materials.

City officials seem assured after their long search that Wilkinson is the right man for the job.

"I'm 100 percent confident that he'll bring the leadership and management skills that will lead our department in the right direction," Person said. "I'm also greatly indebted to the department's command officers during this process, and the work by assistant chief, Joe Aikens as acting chief," Person said.

Wilkinson will tentatively be in Sidney the second week of July to meet the police officers and city staff members he'll be working with. There will be a meet and greet with the public and the media as well.

"I appreciate everybody's patience throughout this process," Person said. "A lot of that is governed by the civil service rules for the state of Nebraska because we're a first class community. It's a very thorough process."

The process of choosing a new police chief involved extensive interviews with a panel of community leaders.

"I take my role as a public servant seriously, understanding that it is the job of any police agency to make people feel safe and secure in the places where they live, work, learn and worship," Wilkinson said.

Sidney's former chief Mike Brown, resigned to move to Kansas to deal with illness of close family members.