When Eureka Mayor Sean Flower announced that the city’s upcoming new municipal center will be named the Michael A. Wiegand Justice Center, its namesake, the Eureka police chief, shed a few tears.
Wiegand, 66, of Eureka has worked in the Eureka Police Department for 45 years. He joined the department as a patrol officer in 1976, received several promotions and was re-elected to a 10th term as city marshal in April.
The Board of Aldermen honored Wiegand for his years of service to the city on May 18, and then Flower announced the building’s name, which came as a surprise to Wiegand.
“I was quite shocked,” the chief said. “They really kept it quiet and normally I find out what’s going on all around town.”
Chuck Maher, founder of the Eureka Police Support Fund, gave Wiegand a plaque for his service.
Lt. Michael Werges also shared information about Wiegand’s career.
“He never uses his title; his door is never closed,” Werges said.
Wiegand’s wife, Kathy, and their four daughters also attended the meeting.
The building, which will house a police station, courts and city hall, will be built from proceeds from Proposition E, a half-cent sales tax approved by voters in April 2018.
Wiegand said the passage of the ballot measure was a high point in his career.
“Having citizens help us pass Proposition E for a new police station and to solve some flooding problems and that bridge in Allenton is probably the most outstanding one we’ve done together as a group, all the police, all the fire and the community,” he said. “We passed it by a huge majority. That doesn’t happen just everywhere.”
Wiegand’s career
Wiegand started working in Eureka as a security guard dispatcher for what is now called Six Flags St. Louis from 1972 to 1976.
“It was really my first exposure to Eureka, because back then, remember how far out Eureka was. Everybody always talked about, ‘Wow, that is way out there,’” he said.
Wiegand said he worked the night shift while earning an associate degree.
“Got my college degree and then got hired by Eureka on my 21st birthday, April of 1976,” he said.
Wiegand said he graduated from the police academy that fall, and in 1981 or 1982 he was promoted to sergeant, then made lieutenant in 1985.
He won his first election as city marshal, which is the police chief, in 1987.
Eureka and St. Ann are the only two cities in the St. Louis region with an elected police chief.
“We write tickets to all the people who elect us, as well as arrest them too,” he said. “If you do your job fair and impartially, people see that you’re doing a great job.”
Wiegand said he plans to make his current term his last as marshal, but kept his options open to run for other city, county or state elected offices.
Wiegand, who grew up in Affton, moved to Eureka in 1986.
He said when he was hired. the police station was located where Hola, a Mexican restaurant, is now. He said the police department moved into the current building in 1982.
Architect
The Board of Alderman voted unanimously May 4 to hire Archimages Inc. in St. Louis to be the architect on the project.
Flower said hiring an architect is the “second big step” in the project.
“I’m excited about it,” he said. “I think they’re a very good architecture firm and I think they’ll be a good fit for us.”
Flower said Archimages will be paid 8 percent of the overall cost of the building.
He said he is not certain when a location for the building will be
determined or when the design will be completed.
“I think the goal is to try to be in the building within 24 months,” he said.
The current station is at 120 City Hall Drive, near Geggie Elementary School.
Wiegand said the current site has outlived its usefulness as a police station, so he is looking forward to the new building.