New police chief on the job in Manhattan

Residents in Manhattan may see a new head of law enforcement in the village as Jeff Wold settles in as the new chief of police. Wold has a career in law enforcement and was unanimously approved by the village board at the Aug. 2 board meeting. He replaces Brian Zarnowski, who has been serving as the interim chief.

Wold has 24 years of police experience with most of his time being spent in the Village of Channahon. He retired in 2017 as Chief of Police, and most recently served as second in command for Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove.

Wold worked his way up the ranks starting as a patrol officer in 1995. He served as the community's D.A.R.E. Officer, and then went on to become Detective Sergeant and Deputy Chief before becoming Police Chief in 2011.

Manhattan Mayor Mike Adrieansen is thrilled the village board chose Wold. "We had several qualified candidates, but Jeff seemed to be the best fit for our village," stated Adrieansen. "Jeff has decades of experience in law enforcement coupled with his extensive professional and community associations and involvement in outside organizations which put him at the top of our list of choices."

Wold reflected on his time as police chief. "I am a servant leader and worked hard to provide training and development opportunities for my staff. In addition to supervising the patrol and investigation units, my key responsibilities were community outreach and budget management. I carefully managed the department's budget and always looked for ways to reduce expenses and still provide the department members the proper equipment and training necessary to complete their mission," added Wold.

Chief Wold officially began his new job August 19, and he looks forward to getting to know the residents and community leaders in and around Manhattan. "Manhattan is a great community, with a great history. I would like to be a part of Manhattan's future and help carry on the traditions that make it one of the safest communities in Illinois."

About the Village of Manhattan

Manhattan is a village in Will County, Illinois with a population of roughly 9500 residents as of the end of 2020. For more information about the village, visit www.villageofmanhattan.org and follow the village on Facebook.