Damakant Jayshi
Members of the Wausau Police and Fire Commission on Friday named Matt Barnes as interim police chief to assume the top policing role in the city on Sept. 1 if a permanent successor is not chosen by that date..
Barnes is currently deputy police chief under Ben Bliven, who announced this week he will step away as chief to assume a new role.
Wausau Human Resources Director James Henderson confirmed the appointment to Wausau Pilot & Review. The Commission made the decision during a closed session at a special meeting June 30, four days after both Bliven and Fire Chief Robert Barteck announced their departures. Barteck is retiring in mid-December.
Barnes has been serving as the deputy chief of the Wausau Police Department since 2018. He joined the police department in 2000. During his 23-year tenure at Wausau PD, he served in a variety of roles including police officer, drug investigator, and patrol captain, among other positions. Barnes graduated from Wausau East High School and has a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He is a former Mosinee School Board member.
Bliven applauded the appointment for Barnes. The two joined the Wausau Police Department on the same day.
“Deputy Chief Barnes is an outstanding leader in our department and in our community,” Bliven said in email. “He has a high-level understanding of law enforcement and the Wausau community.”
Bliven said Barnes has been an integral factor in the department’s success during his tenure as a captain and deputy chief. “The department and community will be in good hands with Matt Barnes at the helm.”
Wausau Pilot & Review also reached out to Barnes and will add his comments when they are received.
No interim chief for Fire Dept.
The Commission stopped short of naming an interim fire chief to succeed Barteck. According to the meeting agenda, the group entered closed session to appoint interim leaders for both the police and fire departments as well as discuss a hiring process for the permanent appointments.
Henderson said the Commission expects to fill Barteck’s position prior to his retirement, so the group held off on naming an interim leader.
“We are working with both chiefs to ensure the process runs smoothly and value their insight and opinions during this transition period,” Henderson said.
