FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 14, 2011
MAYOR-ELECT WINNECKE NAMES POLICE CHIEF & ASSISTANT CHIEF
　
EVANSVILLE, IN – Concluding a rigorous, exhaustive search and evaluation process, Evansville Mayor-elect Lloyd Winnecke announced his selection of Billy Bolin as Evansville’s next Police Chief and Chris Pugh as Assistant Chief.
Mr. Bolin and Mr. Pugh have a combined 35 years of service with the Evansville Police Department and both currently hold the rank of Sergeant.
“Billy’s track record is exemplary, across the entire range of key attributes that contribute to a dedicated, creative, and successful leader,” said Mayor-elect Lloyd Winnecke. “We had a number of excellent candidates for this position and we interviewed them all. Billy’s focus on creating partnerships, building morale, and community involvement, as well as his strong leadership skills, showed us that he’s the right choice for our community.”
Mr. Bolin was instrumental in assisting Mayor-elect Winnecke in mapping out his plan to fight meth abuse and reduce gang violence. Throughout his career in law enforcement, Mr. Bolin has consistently exhibited the highest professional standards, and has achieved an outstanding reputation. In 2009 the Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police named him the Police Officer of the Year.
“This is a great opportunity to take the Evansville City Police Department to a new level, and I’m very excited about getting to work,” said Mr. Bolin. “In addition to tackling meth and gang crimes, an important goal we have is to improve the morale of police officers. I believe that in doing so, we will see officers treating citizens better, performing their jobs better and ultimately, we will reduce the fear and incidence of crime.”
Among the accomplishments of which he is most proud, Mr. Bolin points to his leadership as co-founder of 911 Gives Hope, a charitable foundation comprised of emergency services personnel that gives back to local groups who help the disadvantaged and children. The organization has raised over $280,000 in its first four years.
With an equally impressive record of service, Mr. Pugh has worked in the Patrol Division of the South Sector, served as Tactical Commander of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit and as a detective in the Narcotics Unit. In 2001, Mr. Pugh was named Police Officer of the Year by the American Legion and Downtown Kiwanis for work dealing with the upsurge in methamphetamine labs.
Mayor-elect Winnecke will continue to assemble his new administrative team over the next few weeks. For information on job openings, visit www.transitionevansville.com.
Yawn. Is this really news? We all knew it would be Bolin.
Does this mean Bolin will get to ride in the tank when the mayor travels into the 4th ward, since it’s evidently “intimidating”? Inquiring minds want to know.
Great picks. I am confident that Chief Bolin will work with the other fine officers in the police department to make our great city safer. They have a big job. I wish you the best.
Wayne Parke
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