Elburn welcomes Victoria Gwizdak as new police officer

ELBURN – One new Elburn police officer was sworn in at Monday night's Elburn Village Board meeting. Later at the same meeting, the Elburn Police Commission received the green light to hire another new officer.

Victoria Gwizdak was introduced as the department’s new officer. She comes to Elburn from Island Lake, and she will have a starting salary of $51,950. Gwizdak will be replacing a police officer who has retired.

Gwizdak was honored by the McHenry County Chiefs of Police Association as one of its officers of the year in 2014. She was recognized for her actions and credited with helping to save the lives of two McHenry County Sheriff's Office deputies during an incident that took place in October in Holiday Hills.

Two deputies had been shot when they were responding to a Holiday Hills house for a domestic call, and Gwizdak, along with fellow Island Lake Police Officer Gilbert Hueramo, pulled the deputies to safety.

Elburn still will be seeking another full-time police officer. That officer will replace David Wright, whose employment with the Elburn Police Department has been terminated. Wright, 53, of Campton Hills, was charged in April with 21 counts of sexual abuse. His next scheduled court appearance is June 19.

On the Web

Visit KCChronicle.com to view a video of Victoria Gwizdak being sworn in as a new police officer in Elburn.