The Festus Police Department has a new chief.
Festus Mayor Sam Richard appointed Capt. Doug Wendel to the Police Department’s top job, and the City Council voted 7-0 on Monday to approve the promotion. Ward 4 Councilman Jim Tinnin was absent from the meeting.
Wendel will replace Tim Lewis, who retires next spring.
Wendel’s annual salary as captain is $96,000, and his salary as chief is yet to be determined, City Administrator Greg Camp said Monday.
Lewis is paid a $108,867 yearly salary, Camp added.
Wendel, 53, has worked for the Festus Police Department since 1995 and became captain in 2017.
Lewis said he wholeheartedly supports Wendel’s promotion to chief.
“I think it’s a wonderful choice,” Lewis said. “He’s earned the job. He’s the perfect choice to replace me. His family is from here. He’s on the (Festus R-6 Board of Education). He’s on his church board. He’s not going anywhere. He’s already part of the community.
“He’ll do a much better job than I ever could have done.”
Wendel said he intends to continue to serve on the Festus R-6 Board of Education.
Camp said Wendel was the only person considered for the job.
“We posted (the position) internally and we got one applicant,” he said.
Wendel said he was honored to be named the next Festus Police chief.
“I’m really looking forward to serving the citizens as chief,” Wendel said. “I hope to do a good job.”
Richards said picking Wendel as the new chief was an easy decision.
“He has given his heart over to the city of Festus and the Festus Police Department,” Richards said. “He lives in Festus. He was the logical choice and the only choice and I believe he’ll lead the department to bigger and better things.”
The department has 20 patrol officers, three detectives, four school resource officers, eight dispatchers and two records clerks.
After Wendel joined the Festus Police Department, he was a patrol officer for seven years, a patrol sergeant for five years and an administrative sergeant for support services for more than nine years before he was promoted to captain and second in command in the department.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1993 from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau and a master’s degree in criminal justice administration in 2005 from Lindenwood University in St. Charles.
Wendel and his wife, Lynne, have three children.
In May 2022, Lewis, 62, announced he would retire May 1, 2023. Lewis, who began working for the Festus Police Department in 1982, has served as its chief since 1998.