City Times Staff

The city will be losing five police officers between now and the end of January.

Ofc. Dan Wheeler. (Courtesy SPPD)

Four officers, with a total of over 108 years of experience between them, have submitted retirement paperwork, according to Assistant Chief Tom Zenner. A fifth officer will be moving to the Plover Police Department.

Ofc. Mike Bink, who has been with the dept. for 21 years, retires on Dec. 31. Bink created the department’s first police liaison position, and spent a lot of his time visiting with local veterans at their homes, effectively creating a link of communication between the dept. and those in the community suffering from post-traumatic stress.

Zenner said Bink declined having a public retirement ceremony. Bink’s shift-mates gathered for a private ceremony on Dec. 29.

Sgt. Joe Gruber. (Courtesy SPPD)

Sgt. Paul Piotrowksi, known as “Pipi” by others in the department, retires on Jan. 3. A retirement ceremony for Piotrowski, who has in recent years served as the department’s community service officer, will be held at the courthouse on Jan. 3 at 10 AM.

Two additional officers, Ofc. Dan Wheeler, who had 33 years with the department, and Sgt. Joe Gruber, a 28-year veteran of the dept., will retire on Jan. 27.

Ofc. Blake Hansen will be relocating to the Plover Police Dept., where he replaces Ofc. Andy Hopfensperger, who left the PPD for undisclosed reasons.