DAVENPORT, Iowa — After more than three decades of service, Police Chief Paul Sikorski will be retiring from the Davenport Police Department.
The department made the announcement on Thursday. Sikorski's last day on the force will be on August 29.
Chief Sikorski joined the Davenport Police Department back in 1988. The department says he's served the agency in every division during his tenure, including 24 years on the Emergency Services Team. He was sworn in as chief in January 2016.
For 14 years of his career, Sikorski worked in the special operations and investigations divisions of the department, including the Gang Unit, Vice/Narcotics Unit, the Detective Bureau and as a supervisor in the Tactical Operations Bureau Covert Unit.
He also served as the interagency coordinator for partnerships with agencies like the Metropolitan Enforcement Group, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement and "numerous" others, according to the department.
Besides that, Sikorski also worked to holistically address public safety issues within the community. He helped establish the Scott County Law Enforcement Community Partnership and was an "outspoken" advocate for the Coordinated Assessment Program.
“It has been a pleasure serving this community," said Sikorski in a statement. "Leading and working with a brilliant team, demanding collaboration with others, bringing innovation and a focus on the future of our police department and our profession during some very difficult times has been such a blessing."
So, who will fill Sikorski's shoes when he leaves? The City says it will search the nation for Sikorski's successor starting in May and intends to name them before he retires.
“It has been a true pleasure to work with Chief Sikorski. He is an exceptional public servant who is deeply committed to the Davenport Police Department and the Davenport community,” said City Administrator Corri Spiegel. “As we begin the process of selecting Davenport’s next Police Chief, I am confident we will find the best leader for our community and the dedicated men and women in the Davenport Police Department.”