Bartlett Police Chief Pretkelis retires, revealed as department’s Facebook page ‘wizard’

Accepting both the credit and the blame for the humor of the Bartlett Police Department’s Facebook posts, Police Chief Geoffrey Pretkelis revealed himself as “the man behind the curtain” as he announced his retirement from his official position this week.

“Yes, I was the person behind your favorite Bartlett Police Department’s Facebook posts (what a disappointment and letdown, right?),” he wrote. “After proudly serving the Bartlett community for over 28 years, I’ve finally decided my future lies beyond the Yellow Brick Road.”

Pretkelis thanked the community for its support of the sworn officers and civilian staff of the department and expressed his gratitude for his own opportunity to serve it.

The chief said it was a pleasure to engage humorously with the community using his “love for music, movies and pop culture.”

The village government he’s leaving responded with a post of its own.

“Bartlett, we know you’re still wiping away the tears after the big reveal,” the post reads. “Yes, our Chief, the man behind the curtain, has clicked his heels and followed the Yellow Brick Road to new adventures. But fear not! While we can’t promise the same level of dad joke excellence, the torch is officially being carried forward. Will the posts still be as witty? Probably not. Will they still make you laugh? Hopefully.”

Pretkelis will be recognized by the board at the April 1 meeting. Though officially retiring in May, he is using earned time off and Deputy Chief of Support Services William Naydenoff has been named acting chief.

Pretkelis became chief in 2022 after having been deputy chief of support services since January 2017. He previously served as a traffic officer, school resource officer and public services bureau sergeant.