Algoma to swear in new police chief

By Kris Leonhardt

Editor-in-chief

ALGOMA – A new police chief will be sworn in by the city of Algoma on June 5, after city leaders approved the hiring of David Allen for the role.

The position opened after the retirement of Randy Remiker who had served as police chief for almost five years.

Remiker was recently promoted in the National Guard where he is a brigadier general with the New Mexico National Guard, serving as the director of joint staff.

Remiker grew up outside of Denmark, Wis., and went to college in Minnesota before getting a job with the Albuquerque, N.M., police department.

He had joined the Minnesota National Guard while attending college and then transferred to the New Mexico National Guard when he moved there.

“I lived there for 25 years, retired from there and then moved back up here and stayed in the Guard [in New Mexico],” Remiker recalled.

With his promotion in the Guards, Remiker has a larger commitment to his role and found it necessary to retire from his role in Algoma.

“So, I am required to fly and do more,” he explained, adding that he appreciated his time in Algoma.

“I love the community; it’s a great town. We’ve done a lot in my time that I was there.

“I wish the best for the next chief. He seems like a great guy; he should do a good job.”

Incoming chief, David Allen, comes to the role with varying levels of experience.

“I was a DNR Warden for 20 plus years, most of my time in Kewaunee County. Prior to that, I was a conservation officer out in Utah for five and a half years and a deputy sheriff in Kansas for like three years,” Allen said.

“They contacted me and said they had the position open and asked if I would consider putting in an application. They had several other references that said you probably ought to contact Dave Allen because, you know, he’s already retired. These were other officers they had been talking to that are still working as officers.

“I have always been a community-oriented officer. I believe that I work for ‘we the people,’ not the

governor, the county board, the city council; I work for the people. I’ve always in every one of my jobs as a deputy sheriff, as the conservation officer in Utah. It’s everybody, to me, that pays my wages. I work for everybody.

“I believe have honor and integrity with everything that you do, and you need to treat people with respect and doesn’t matter if you’ve arrested them three times or not, they still deserve respect. It’s just a way of thinking that I’ve always had. You don’t need to write everybody a ticket; there are other ways of gaining compliance with people.

“But, there are also times when you have to be a law enforcement officer as opposed to a peace officer. I think it’s probably around 90% of the time you need to be a peace officer just keeping the peace, and then there are times where you have to be a law enforcement officer and enforce the laws.

Allen will be sworn in during the start of the June 5 Algoma Common Council meeting, shortly after 6 p.m. in council chambers at the Algoma City Hall.

“Mr. Allen’s experience, knowledge, leadership, and passion for the law enforcement make him the ideal candidate that Algoma is looking for to lead our police department. We look forward to him being a part of our department, our community, and can’t wait to see how he continues to keep Algoma moving forward,” a release from Algoma City Clerk Erin Mueller stated.