Rockwood hired as Polo police sergeant

POLO – A Polo city employee once again switched departments, this time being rehired onto the police department, with the approval of the Polo City Council.

On Jan. 15, Polo City Council members voted 5-0 to hire Tim Rockwood as a police sergeant effective Jan. 19, at a rate of $30 per hour. Alderman Randy Schoon was absent.

“We based our projected salary off a five-year officer, plus 10% for the elevated duties involved in the patrol sergeant position,” said Alderman Keith Chesnut, who heads the Police Committee.

The City Council first hired Rockwood as a police officer effective Dec. 5, 2016; he started at the Springfield-based State Police Academy on Jan. 8, 2017. Rockwood was the Polo police chief from Feb. 18, 2020, to July 19, 2021, when he resigned for personal reasons.

Less than a month after stepping down from his spot as chief, Rockwood was rehired to the city’s Public Works Department, where he had worked prior to joining the Polo Police Department. Rockwood then served as interim police chief from Oct. 17, 2023, to Jan. 2, at which point Matt Coppotelli was sworn in as chief at a salary of $92,000.

As interim chief, Rockwood’s pay was set at $45 per hour, and his time in the position was limited to a maximum of three months. He was set to return to his position with the Public Works Department after a new police chief was hired. At that time, Rockwood’s pay was to drop to $23 per hour, which was a $2 increase from his previous pay rate within the department.

As part of his appointment as interim chief, the City Council also gave Rockwood an additional 40 hours of paid time off, which must be used by May 1, 2024.