Jeff Burgner Retires, Interim Police Chief Selected By Oswego Board

OSWEGO, IL — The Oswego Village Board unanimously approved Deputy Chief Jason Bastin's appointment as interim police chief at Tuesday's Village Board meeting.

Bastin began serving in the role effective immediately. He replaces Chief Jeffrey Burgner, who officially retired Tuesday after 27 years with the Oswego Police Department.

Bastin will serve as interim chief until someone is permanently hired "in the coming months," village officials said.

The outgoing chief received two standing ovations from Village President Ryan Kauffman, trustees on the Board and residents at Tuesday's meeting, where he was honored for his nearly three decades of service.

Burgner began working for the department as a patrol officer in June 1996. He was promoted to sergeant in 2004 and captain in 2010 before he was appointed chief in 2014.

Burgner's tenure as chief is marked by overseeing the planning and construction of police headquarters, which opened in 2018 in order to meet the needs of a growing community. The project was developed ahead of time and under budget, according to Kauffman.

RELATED: Chief Jeff Burgner To Retire After 27 Years With Oswego PD

"Chief, thank you for your service," the village president said. "Your leadership has been exemplary; you leave huge shoes to fill for the next chief. Your tenure is really incredible. ... You will be missed. I'm happy for you personally, but I'm sad to see you go."

In a letter to the community published on his final day, he said village staff "allowed me to collaborate extensively with our team" to develop a strong succession plan to maintain the department's "onward and upward" trajectory.

"I have been truly blessed by the opportunities this great Village has extended to me over my extensive career," he said. "You have allowed me to raise a son and have the means to provide for my family. For that, I will be forever in debt to this community."

Burgner's letter continued: "There is an extremely deep bench of extraordinary leadership talent within this organization. Thank you to every member of the Oswego Police Department for your support to the organization and me personally. As I move on to the next chapter in my life, I will continue to have a full heart watching this department continue to succeed and flourish."