Pair of Batavia police commanders plan to retire

The two seconds-in-command at the Batavia Police Department have put in for retirement.

The Batavia City Council will vote Monday on whether to authorize city administrators to execute retirement agreements with deputy commanders Gregory Thrun and Dennis Thomas.

Thrun has been a Batavia police officer since 1981, following the example set by his father, William, who was a Batavia office for 20 years.

Thrun was a patrol officer until 1991, then a sergeant until 2001. He oversees the patrol and investigations divisions.

Thomas, 60, has been with the Batavia department since 1971. He rose to commander rank within eight years and filled in as an interim chief in 2005. He applied for the chief post twice, in 1999 and 2005, but was passed over both times.

Police Chief Gary Schira was taking some time off and could not be reached for comment Saturday afternoon.

Mayor Jeff Schielke did not want to speak about details of the retirement agreements, including if there were any financial incentives to retire now, since he did not have the agreements with him when reached by phone late Saturday afternoon. He did note that both men have long been eligible to retire and receive a pension.

The city has frozen hiring while fighting a budget deficit caused by a steep decline in sales tax and investment interest income due to the sour economy. It has offered some incentives, such as aid with medical insurance premiums, to get some of the senior staff in all departments to retire.

Unions representing police officers and sergeants agreed in October to forego already-agreed-on pay raises and give up four holiday pay days, in exchange for a guarantee of no layoffs through 2010.

While not sure of Schira's plans to replace Thomas and Thrun, Schielke said, "Obviously, there has to be some continuity of command staff," such as promoting from within the department.

The council is also due Monday to vote on union agreements for full-time firefighters, and for police department records technicians and community service officers. Both have contracts that expire Dec. 31.