Wausau Police and Fire Commission to interview Barnes, another candidate for chief Tuesday

Damakant Jayshi

The Police and Fire Commission is in the midst of interviewing candidates for the soon-to-be-vacant Wausau police chief and fire chief positions. All interviews, seven in total, are scheduled to be completed by the end of next week, officials said.

Wausau’s Human Resources Director James Henderson told Wausau Pilot & Review that the Police and Fire Commission will interview Deputy Police Chief Matthew Barnes on Tuesday. The commission will then interview Thomas Rhoades, whose resume includes chief of police and corporate director of public safety and emergency preparedness for Parkview Health, a health system that formed its own police agency in 2014. Prior to his service at Parkview, Rhoades served as captain with the Fort Wayne Police Department. Rhoades also served as the public information officer for the FWPD and was a Republican candidate for the Indiana State Senate in 2018.

Two internal and two external candidates expressed interest to be the next police chief of Wausau. But one external candidate declined the interview offer, Henderson said.

The PFC interviewed Wausau Police Department’s Investigations Captain Benjamin Graham on Monday.

Police Chief Ben Bliven announced in June that he would be leaving the department, effective Sept. 1. He said he accepted a job offer from a local company. Soon after, the commission named Barnes as the interim chief beginning Sept. 1. However, if the PFC completes the formalities by that date, the police department will have its regular chief.

“The Commission is likely to decide soon after all interviews have concluded,” Henderson said. He added that the HR department conducted a national search through governmentjobs.com and other local and regional recruiting platforms.

Early next week, the Police and Fire Commission will interview four candidates for the fire chief. One is an internal candidate. Henderson said he would release the names later this week.

Fire Chief Robert Barteck announced his retirement on June 26, though he had told the PFC a week before that he intended to retire on Dec. 15. His announcement to retire was followed by Bliven’s announcement on the same evening.