2 To Succeed Retiring Woodbury Public Safety Director, Police Chief

WOODBURY, MN — The Woodbury City Council is expected to vote Wednesday night to hire a new public safety director to succeed Lee Vague, who is retiring after more than 30 years with the department.

Woodbury Police Commander Jason Posel has been tapped to be the city’s next public safety director after serving for 25 years in the Woodbury Police Department. Posel was hired in 1996 as a community service officer and promoted to serve as a police officer two years later.

He was later promoted to patrol sergeant and patrol commander, roles in which he oversaw patrol divisions, SWAT teams, K9 units and community engagement, according to city officials.

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Woodbury Police Sergeant Omar Maklad is set to succeed Vague as the city’s next police chief, with officials splitting the roles Vague has held since 2007 between two new leaders. Maklad will also serve as assistant public safety director under Posel.

Maklad, who completed the Woodbury Police Explorer program as a teen, joined the department in 2002 as a community service officer. He was later promoted to police officer and patrol sergeant, where he oversaw SWAT teams, firearms programs, the Street Crimes Unit and worked with the Multicultural Advisory Committee, officials said. Maklad is a graduate of Woodbury High School.

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His role as police chief will allow Posel to “more effectively balance time” between the various divisions of the Woodbury Public Safety Department, including police, fire, emergency medical services and emergency management, officials said.

Posel and Maklad are due to take over as Woodbury’s public safety director and police chief Aug. 20, the day after Vague’s retirement.

Posel’s appointment must be approved by the Woodbury City Council, but Maklad’s promotion does not require approval.

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Kris Mienert, who serves as assistant public safety director and assistant police chief under Vague, is due to retire June 17.

Posel is slated to fill those positions on an interim basis between Mienert’s and Vague’s retirements, before succeeding Vague as Woodbury’s public safety director.

Maklad is expected to take Posel’s current role as police commander from June 17-Aug. 20 before taking the reins at the police department.

Woodbury City Administrator Clint Gridley said Posel and Maklad were selected from a list of internal candidates by a group that included the Multicultural Advisory Committee, the Woodbury Community Foundation, South Washington County Schools, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and other organizations.

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“Promoting from an excellent internal pool of strong leaders is the best way to ensure our positive culture, which consistently garners high approval ratings from the community, continues to grow stronger,” Gridley said in a statement.

Retiring Public Safety Director/Police Chief Lee Vague said “incorporating community members into this hiring process was critical in continuing to build trust and ensure everyone feels safe, welcome and connected in Woodbury.”

Four veterans of the Woodbury Public Safety Department are also set for promotions this year.

Police Commander John Altman is the city’s new investigations commander, while Sergeants Tom Ehrenberg and Garrett Kissner will be promoted to patrol commander roles, and Public Safety Supervisor Chris Zacharias will be promoted to public safety manager, officials said.

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