Sycamore deputy chief of police retiring

SYCAMORE – Five days after Sycamore Police Chief Jim Winters retired, his second in command is expected to follow suit.

Sycamore Deputy Police Chief Jeff Wig will retire Friday, finishing a multidecade career of law enforcement for the city.

A week before his retirement, Wig said it felt weird to ponder the next phase in his life. But he said he’s ready.

“It hasn’t really hit yet, but you know, it feels good,” Wig said. “I’m looking forward to chapter two, and figuring out what that’s going to be.”

City officials bid farewell to Winters this week and welcomed new Chief Erik Mahan, who comes to the city from the St. Charles Police Department.

As a 24-year veteran of the Sycamore Police Department, Wig said he doesn’t think the public has anything to worry about as Sycamore transitions its police leadership.

“It’s nothing I would be concerned about,” Wig said. “We have enough people in the pipeline that whoever is going to take my position – however that’s going to work – it’s going to flow really well.”

Wig said he thinks changes in leadership is a sign of a healthy police department.

Although Wig said he remembers more good days than bad over the course of his career, some days stand out.

He was one of dozens of first responders from across the county who responded to a mass shooting at Northern Illinois University. On Feb. 14, 2008, a lone gunman stepped into an NIU lecture hall and fatally shot five students, wounding dozens of others.

“I still talk with people that were victims from that day,” Wig said. “There’s one in particular – we still remain in contact fairly regularly.”