HOBART-LAWRENCE (NBC 26) — The Hobart-Lawrence Police Department has named Michael A. Renkas as the new Chief of Police.
Current Police Chief Randy Bani recently announced his retirement from the department, effective Jan. 2, 2023, he will remain with the Department through July as a transitional consultant for Renkas.
Renkas is a 15-year veteran of law enforcement and was the first-ever Captain for the HLPD. He was one of four finalists interviewed for the position.
“We would like to thank Chief Bani for his years of service for the Lawrence and Hobart communities,” said Police Commission Chairman John Shimek. “We conducted a very thorough search and interview process. We had four very good candidates. During this process, Captain Renkas displayed a wealth of experience and knowledge. He was the best person for the job. Captain Renkas will be an outstanding leader. His work to create an inclusive workplace and to foster a culture of respect in the workplace and community made him an easy choice to be our next police chief.”
In addition to his current position as Captain, Renkas works at Fox Valley Technical College, where he serves as an adjunct instructor for the recruit academy.
He also teaches general law enforcement courses, Defense and Arrest Tactics, Firearms, and Fitness.
Renkas previously served with the City of Appleton Police Department, Town of Grand Chute Police Department, and the United States Marine corps Reserve.
Over the course of his career, Renkas has also served in the following roles and multi-jurisdictional units:
- Outagamie County Veterans Treatment Court
- Narcotics Investigator
- Criminal Investigator
- SWAT Team Member
- Emergency Response Team Member
- Field Traning Officer
“Over the past year serving as your police captain, I have been fortunate to see the passion for community support from both the Hobart and Lawrence communities,” said Renkas. “I am honored and humbled to be entrusted with this opportunity to serve the residents, business owners, visitors, and officers as we move our police department forward. Together, we will enhance building our culture of community policing with our stakeholders - ensuring continued exceptional police services are provided. I am excited about the future and working alongside the community and professionals of Hobart and Lawrence.”
