Westmont names newly created chief public safety officer

At its Nov. 16 meeting, the Westmont Village Board approved an employment agreement promoting Westmont Chief of Police Jim Gunther to the newly created position of chief public safety officer. This new position will oversee public safety for the entire village municipality.

The job duties of the new position will include executive-level oversight of police and fire departments and working with multiple village departments regarding accreditation goals. The creation of this position streamlines the organizational structure of the village to mirror the departmental structure, responds to the ever increasing need for coordination between public safety departments and allows the willage to be better prepared to respond to public safety needs.

Gunther, who recently completed his terms as the president of the Dupage County Chiefs of Police Association and the chairman of the countywide Metropolitan Emergency Response & Investigations Team (MERIT) task force, will continue his current role as Westmont chief of police while adopting the new responsibilities of the chief public safety officer position.