So long, chief

WAUPACA – Police Chief Brian Hoelzel was honored for his 31 years of service at a retirement ceremony at the Waupaca Rec Center on Jan. 30. Mayor Brian Smith opened the event by presenting Hoelzel’s service pistol neatly boxed up. It is a tradition to give a retiring police officer the sidearm that they carried over the years as a gesture of thanks.
Representative Kevin Peterson presented Hoelzel with a plaque, thanking him for his service and recapped his career over the years. After getting a degree in criminal justice from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, his did a stint as an officer at Combined Locks. He joined the Waupaca police force in 1994.
Hoelzel was asked to provide some remarks. The first thing he did was thank his family, his wife Linda and his two sons, Carter and Bennett. He said throughout his career there were many late nights coming home and he missed being there for them. A police officer’s life is a call of duty and he got a lot of calls. He also gave credit to all of the other police officers on the force, as they respond to the calls as needed—just not for emergencies but also for the numerous charitable activities that the police department is involved in.
Replacing Hoelzel as police chief is Pete Kraeger, a veteran law enforcement officer. Hoelzel is an avid angler. Expect to bump into him at local boat landings during his retirement.