BPD sergeant is promoted to lieutenant

By Jennifer Eisenbart

Editor

The City of Burlington Police Department’s new lieutenant is a familiar face.

Sgt. Brian Zmudzinski was sworn in Oct. 20 as the department’s lone lieutenant, replacing Mark Anderson – who was sworn in as the city’s police chief in July.

Zmudzinski’s promotion is the latest in what is a cascade effect of position changes. A new sergeant will have to be promoted to replace Zmudzinski, and the department will then need to fill patrol officer positions.

Zmudzinski, who has been with the department for more than 10 years, was promoted to sergeant in September 2010. He applied for the chief position this summer, but, as he explained, it was more for experience.

“I was kind of under the impression that Mark (Anderson) was going to be the lead runner,” Zmudzinski said. “Depending on how things go in the future, after Chief Anderson has retired, I’ve been there, done that.

“When the opportunity presents itself, I’ll have a little experience underneath my belt,” Zmudzinski added.

Zmudzinski called Anderson – who placed Peter Nimmer as chief – “fair and impartial,” and someone who has helped him settle into the new position.

“There’s been a large learning curve with me filling the seat, and he’s been a very good mentor to me,” Zmudzinski said.

In his 10 years with the department, Zmudzinski has been a firearms instructor, a field training officer, a bike patrol officer and an honor guard member.

Anderson said the lieutenant promotional process included two interviews – one with command-level officers from other agencies – and a written examination.

“Lt. Zmudzinski was the candidate with the highest overall score,” Anderson explained, who added that he was “confident that the relationships that (Zmudzinski) has established within the community and within the department will allow him to achieve success in that position.”

Zmudzinski currently resides in Elkhorn. He is married to Elizabeth and has two sons – Gavin and Carter. While he relocated to Elkhorn three years ago, he said he had no plans to leave the Burlington department.

“The city’s been very good to me and my family. I have no interest in going elsewhere,” Zmudzinski said. “We have great people here, a talented group of cops who are going to do the best for the city’s interest.”

One of his goals moving forward is to foster a positive working relationship with the Racine County Sheriff’s Department, and try to get personnel involved with some of the Racine County task forces.

“We do a lot of collaborative work with them,” he explained. “It only makes sense to work together as a team.”

Zmudzinski also wants to see relationships developed within the community, as well as personnel development.

Anderson said Tuesday that the Police and Fire Commission would be interviewing a candidate that night for the open sergeant position, as well as six candidates for two, full-time patrol spots.

The sergeant candidate is an internal candidate, Anderson confirmed.