Rhinelander police chief endorses Chiamulera as potential successor

Lloyd Gauthier is preparing to step down sometime in 2025 and he knows exactly who he would like to see take his place as Rhinelander’s next police chief. During this month’s meeting of the city’s police and fire commission, Gauthier minced no words in throwing his full support behind Capt. Josh Chiamulera as his eventual successor.

“I don’t have a date but 2025 is looking like a good year (to retire),” he said, noting that he has previously gone on record endorsing Chiamulera as his choice for the next chief.

“I think he is absolutely, without a doubt, your best candidate for my position,” Gauthier told the commission, adding that he would be “elated” if the captain is ultimately promoted to his chair.

Chiamulera has been working toward the position for some time, he added, noting that the captain was very involved in crafting the department’s 2025 budget and stepped in a number of times over the last year when Gauthier had to be away from the department attending to personal matters.

Chiamulera has “natural leadership skills” and is respected by everyone in the department, Gauthier added, noting that the captain also took it upon himself to seek out additional training in the form of a public manager course.

Gauthier said he believes the course is an excellent training for rural officer looking to move ahead as a department leader. While some police officers have participated in the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va., Gauthier said he feels the public manager course is a better choice for those in smaller, rural departments. Rural policing is very different from what those who are in charge of a 400-person department experience, he noted.

He also described Chiamulera as a “forward thinker” and noted that he has the support of his colleagues.

“There’s nobody in the agency that’s interested (in the position) and there’s no one in the agency who wants anybody other than Josh,” he said.

Commission member Tom Gleason, a retired police officer, noted that the rank and fire are often more comfortable with someone they know. 

“From the patrol officer point of view, they know what they’re gonna get, they know they can deal with them, and they know how they’re gonna be treated,” Gleason said. “If you go outside the box, it’s a crapshoot.”

As the discussion continued, commission chair Todd McEldowney asked for Gauthier’s opinion as to whether the panel should, when the time comes, post the position externally.

In response, Gauthier said it’s his hope that the commission will feel compelled to choose Chiamulera based on his work history and current performance.

“It’ll put the department at ease to know that Josh would probably get that position,” he said, adding that understands that it’s ultimately up to the commissioners to select the next chief.

Heather Schaefer may be reached at [email protected].