Greenfield Police Deputy Inspector a Finalist for Fond du Lac Police Chief Opening

Deputy Inspector Brad Wentlandt of the Greenfield Police Department is one of five finalists for the police chief opening in Fond du Lac.

Fond du Lac Chief Tony Barthuly is retiring June 30.

Wentlandt, who commands the Support Services Division, survived a cut from nine applicants to five after interviewing with a panel of Fond du Lac Police Department members and a panel of other police chiefs in the Fox Valley.

Another round of interviews, this time with Fond du Lac’s Police and Fire Commission, are expected to be completed by May 16.

The story was first reported by the Fond du Lac Reporter on Thursday.

Wentlandt has been with the for 20 years and has been Deputy Inspector the last three.

“My goal has always been to be a police chief in Greenfield. That's the ultimate goal,” Wentlandt said. “If not Greenfield, then it has to be the right circumstances. It has to be the right department with good people and good history and a good area.

“I have been extremely selective in terms of the departments I have applied for over the last few years. There have been a number of chief openings that I felt I could have competed very strongly for, but I’m not just interested in the title of police chief. It has to be the right circumstance.”

Wentlandt said the Fond du Lac opening was appealing for a variety of reasons, including its proximity to Milwaukee, where he and his wife have family. But he added it would be very difficult to leave Greenfield should he be Fond du Lac's first choice.

“It would be extremely, extremely hard to leave the outstanding people we have in Greenfield and all the positive things we’ve done over the years,” Wentlandt said.