West Melbourne names eight finalists to replace retired police chief Richard Wiley
One of eight finalists has entered contract negotiations to potentially become West Melbourne's next police chief.
That finalist remains unidentified. West Melbourne City Manager Tim Rhodes has chosen his preferred candidate, and contract negotiations are underway. Wednesday, he declined to divulge the person's identity until after a employment offer is accepted.
The West Melbourne City Council is expected to vote on Rhode's selection on Oct. 4. Four out of five council members must concur to hire the new police chief, per the newly amended city charter.
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"Very impressed with all eight candidates, and their qualifications and their passion for policing. So, very excited — tough decision," Rhode said Wednesday.
All told, a field of 58 people applied to replace retired West Melbourne police chief Richard Wiley. The eight finalists:
• Vincent Acevez, former deputy superintendent of the 130-member patrol division in Cicero, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago with more than 85,000 residents.
Last year, Acevez served as police chief at Morton College in Cicero and as an investigator with the Illinois Department of Transportation.
• Michael Clesceri, chief of the McHenry County Sheriff's Office in Woodstock, Illinois, which includes a 650-inmate jail and 170 officers and support staff.
Clesceri was previously police chief at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, Illinois, and a police sergeant, officer, detective and investigator in Tustin, California.
• Michael Gallagher, police chief in Buckingham Township, Pennsylvania. The community of about 21,000 residents is located just north of Philadelphia.
Gallagher previously worked from 1991 to 2017 in Abington Township, Pennsylvania, working positions ranging from police officer to detective sergeant to lieutenant.
• Leon Krolikowski Jr., police chief in New Canaan, Connecticut, since 2013. The town of nearly 21,000 residents is located just north of Stamford.
A U.S. Marine Corps Reserve infantry platoon veteran of Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield, Krolikowski joined the New Canaan Police Department in 1989 and served in a variety of roles.
• Derek McCollum, a major commanding the fiscal division of the Kansas City (Missouri) Police Department, which serves a population of 460,000 people across 319 square miles.
McCollum was previously a major in the department's narcotics and vice division, leading a division of 138 detectives and four civilian crime analysts.
• John Ortolano, captain with the Arizona Department of Public Safety from 1998 to 2019 in Phoenix.
A U.S. Navy Operation Desert Storm veteran, Ortolano was police chief in Hobbs, New Mexico, running the 160-person department from September 2019 until January.
• Russell Irvin, assistant police chief in Chattanooga, Tennessee, a city of nearly 184,000 residents.
Irvin joined the force as a patrolman in 1997 and served as a school resource officer, property crimes investigator and major crimes investigator before assuming supervisory roles.
• Gregory Vesta, police chief in Wood Dale, Illinois, since 2011. The city of just more than 14,000 residents is located just west of Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.
Vesta joined the department in 1996 and previously served as a patrol officer, sergeant and deputy chief.
West Melbourne's population has increased to 28,127 residents across 10.8 square miles. According to a recruiting brochure created for the police chief job opening, the ideal candidate will have traits such as:
An open, transparent, inclusive and engaging communication style that inspires people inside and outside the city and the police department.
Demonstrated experience with implementing 21st century policing principles and strategies to move the organization forward.
A keen understanding that seemingly small neighborhood issues are critical to the quality of life of West Melbourne residents and business owners.
Salary range for the job is $90,541 to $144,866, dependent upon qualifications and experience.
A veteran Philadelphia police officer, Wiley moved from Pennsylvania to West Melbourne and started work as police chief in September 2012. He retired last month after a decade on the job.
"Overall, Chief Wiley served the law enforcement profession with distinction and honor for more than 40 years! He leaves behind a legacy of unmatched professionalism!" an Aug. 19 post on the police department's Facebook page said.
"We wish 'Grand Cop' and his wife GiGi well as they head back to Pennsylvania to be closer to their grandkids!" the post said.
The eight job finalists mingled with West Melbourne residents during a Friday meet-and-greet at Promise Café and Bakery at West Melbourne Community Park.
Saturday, Rhode and staffers interviewed the finalists at the police station. The West Melbourne City Council had been scheduled to publicly interview the finalists during a Saturday special meeting, but council members dropped that idea.
After Rhode's chosen finalist accepts an employment offer, City Hall officials will conduct a comprehensive background check.
"We're going to send our background investigator out to their community and do a full overview of their employment history," Rhode said.
"We would assume that everything will come back clean. But that's why we'll do a background check and then move forward with a recommendation to the council," he said.
Rick Neale is the South Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @RickNeale1
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: West Melbourne police: 8 finalists named to replace retired chief
