Waite Park Names Four Finalists for Chief of Police

(KNSI) — The City of Waite Park has announced the four final candidates for the next Chief of Police, including one from inside the department.

Tony Padilla is currently a Police Chief and Emergency Manager for the City of Glencoe and a council member for the City of Gaylord. He has been in law enforcement since 2005, including positions as Chief of Police and Emergency Manager for Gaylord, Steele County, McLeod County, and Arlington Police Department-K9 Handler and Defensive Tactics Instructor. He was an instructor for the Center for Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement. He has over 15 years of supervisory experience. Padilla is a veteran, serving in the U.S. Army for over 20 years, holding every enlisted rank the Army has, and ending his career as a Division Operations Sergeant Major. He has a bachelor’s degree and holds a certificate in criminal justice in law enforcement.

Anthony Reznicek is currently a Police Sergeant for the City of Waite Park and has spent 18 years in law enforcement. He has been with the City of Waite Park for the last ten years and has over ten years of supervisory experience. While in Waite Park, he served five years as a School Resource Officer and Investigator. He has held the rank of Sergeant for the last three years. Reznicek was a police officer in East Grand Forks for eight years and had opportunities to be acting shift supervisor and field training officer. Reznicek is a U.S. Army National Guard veteran, where he served for ten years. He ended his time with the National Guard as a Sergeant with two combat tours. Reznicek has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

Kurt Schoening is a Patrol Sergeant for Carver County Sheriff’s Department and has been in the position since 2018. He has been in law enforcement since 2011, holding positions including patrol corporal and patrol deputy within Carver County Sheriff’s Department. He is part of a multi-jurisdictional SWAT team and has been a lead instructor for the sheriff’s department in both the use of force and firearms. Kurt has over eight years of supervisory experience. Before his time with Carver County, Schoening worked as a patrol deputy for Stark County Sheriff’s Department in Dickinson, North Dakota. He has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

George Vinson is currently a Captain on the Fargo Police Department in the Criminal Investigations Division and a council member for the City of Harwood. He has been in law enforcement since 2004 in a variety of positions within the City of Fargo, including Captain of the Professional Standards Division, Lieutenant of Professional Accountability, Community Engagement Team Leader, Field Services Lieutenant, School Resources Sergeant, Sergeant, Assistant Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, Detective, K9 unit, and police officer. Vinson has over 12 years of supervisory experience. He has a master’s degree in public safety and law enforcement leadership.

Interviews with the four are scheduled for April 6th at 8:30 a.m. and will end with a public meet and greet that afternoon from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Waite Park council chambers.

The city council will get together afterward to determine the next steps. The council could consider a conditional job offer to one of the candidates as early as the April 17th city council meeting.

Chief Dave Bentrud will retire at the end of May. He has served in the role for 13 years.

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