August 18, 2017 at 4:21 p.m.
Kondzela promoted to patrol sergeant
Kondzela promoted to patrol sergeant
According to commission chairman Todd McEldowney, Kondzela, who joined the RPD in January 2014, was one of three internal candidates for the position.
Nick Seeger, a 10-year veteran from the Racine Police Department, was selected to replace Kondzela as a patrol officer. Both McEldowney and RPD Capt. Ron Lueneburg were happy to have someone with Seeger's experience to join the department.
Lueneburg said Kondzela served previously with the Crandon Police Department as a part-time officer and also as a corrections officer at the Langlade County Jail. She is a graduate of Nicolet Area Technical College.
"Since she has been with us, she has just done a phenomenal job as a patrol officer," Lueneburg said. "The chief (Lloyd Gauthier) and I are just happy to have her on board as a newly promoted sergeant and a part of our supervisory staff."
McEldowney said it doesn't happen very often that someone with Seeger's experience is willing to accept an entry-level position with the department.
"We were especially overjoyed when we had the interview with him. He was very impressive," McEldowney said.
He noted Seeger still has to pass the physical exam, psychological evaluation, drug screening and background check before he can officially join the department.
With that kind of experience, McEldowney was asked if Seeger could be expected to rise rapidly in the department.
"If the openings are there, but we have a pretty young department with a lot of good candidates," he said.
"It's tough for any law enforcement agency, not only around here, or in Wisconsin, but all across the country to recruit good entry-level candidates," Lueneburg agreed. "So to get someone with experience is a good thing."
"You understand that we now have a detective sergeant's position open since Brian Zohimsky retired (earlier this summer), so I imagine a number of the people who applied for the sergeant's position will be applying for the detective sergeant's position," McEldowney said. "Which is our next round of interviews."
It is the commission's intention to promote the next detective sergeant from within the department, but will accept and consider applications from outside applicants, he added.
"We just want to get the best possible person in there that we can," McEldowney said.
After a new detective sergeant is named, if that person is promoted from within, that would leave another internal opening within RPD that has to be filled.
"It's a never-ending cycle," McEldowney said.
Jamie Taylor may be reached via email at [email protected].
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