Manhattan Police Chief To Retire

MANHATTAN, IL — Manhattan Police Chief Jeff Wold will retire, effective June 30, the Village announced Thursday. Wold was approaching two years with the department.

"I am saddened to get the news that Chief Wold is leaving, but I appreciate his desire to retire and enjoy more quality time with his wife and family," said Adrieansen. "I personally have enjoyed working with Chief Wold and he has accomplished many great things in the short time he has been with Manhattan."

Wold was appointed Chief in September 2021 following a lengthy career in the Village of Channahon.

He has been instrumental in strengthening the Manhattan Police Department and bringing in top notch officers while providing leadership to better serve the community, the Village said in a release.

The department has been actively involved in activities throughout the various neighborhoods.

"I am very proud of the work we did as a team the last two years," said Wold. "We have accomplished so much, but I am most proud of launching the school resource officer (SRO) this past school year and the start of our K9 program that began in October 2022. Both initiatives took lots of work to get started but have been well received by the community."

Wold also noted that he enjoyed collaborating with the elected officials, community partners, and most importantly the residents of Manhattan. He said he leaves knowing that the Village is in a better place and has a great team that will continue to serve and protect the residents.

With Chief Wold’s departure, the Village will begin a search for a replacement, according to Village Administrator Nick Palmer.

"The Village will begin a formal search for a new police chief in the coming weeks," said Palmer. "Although we were not expecting Chief Wold’s departure, he and his leadership team have built a strong core that continues to serve this community well. We will be formally posting for the position and will take all the appropriate steps to hire the best qualified candidate for the job."