The Whitefish Bay Police Commission unanimously appointed Patrick Whitaker to the Interim Police Chief position on March 4. Interim Chief Whitaker will serve in the role until the Commission takes action to appoint a successor.

The appointment took effect following the April 16 retirement of Police Chief Michael Young, who served in the role for more than 8 years.  

A native of Glendale, Interim Chief Whitaker brings over 22 years of law enforcement experience. He began his career with the Whitefish Bay Police Department as a Community Service Officer in 1998 and became a Patrol Officer later that same year. He earned promotions to Sergeant in 2013 and Lieutenant in 2017. Whitaker graduated cum laude from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice before graduating from the MATC Police Academy in 1998. He later earned a Master of Science from Cardinal Stritch University in Management, where he completed a capstone project to evaluate the feasibility of body-worn cameras for Whitefish Bay Officers. The Department established a body-worn camera program shortly thereafter. In 2019, Whitaker obtained a Public Manager certificate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison through a program offered in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Justice. That same year, he was instrumental in establishing a North Shore in-service training program aimed at increasing collaboration among officers from all seven North Shore police departments.

Whitaker is excited for the opportunity to serve in a new role. “As Interim Police Chief, I will work to ensure that our department serves Whitefish Bay in a professional, ethical, and transparent manner. It’s an honor to work with the community to keep Whitefish Bay a great place to live, work, and visit.” He resides in the North Shore with his wife and three boys and enjoys practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and reading in his free time. Please join us in extending well wishes to Interim Police Chief Patrick Whitaker in his new role. 

Interim Police Chief Whitaker welcomes community feedback and can be reached at p.whitaker@wfbvillage.org or (414) 755-6554.

The May Bay Leaves magazine is now available on the Village website. Stories include:

The North Shore Health Department 2020 Annual Report provides an overview of the many programs and services that protect and promote the health and safety of North Shore residents. As we have shared over the years in these annual reports, the mission of the North Shore Health Department is to work in partnership with the communities to assure, promote, and protect the health and safety of the people in the North Shore. Our core services include:

The Health Department’s scope also extends from our daily work investigating communicable disease cases to our outreach in building partnerships with parents, providers, and schools that foster mental health and resiliency among our youth.

The Village has partnered with several area local governments and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association to give people access to solar education and competitive prices for solar installation on residential and commercial properties through volume purchasing.

Building on past successes, a number of local municipalities are combining efforts to offer Grow Solar Greater Milwaukee to residents throughout Milwaukee County. 

Area homeowners and business owners can attend online, free one-hour Solar Power Hours to learn about solar, the volume purchasing, and sign up for free quotes and site assessments. Click here to register for the kick-off or other virtual Solar Power Hours. Residents are able to join any of the Solar Power Hours.

Saturday, May 8, 2021 is World Migratory Bird Day. The Village has been recognized as a Bird City Wisconsin for 10 years in a row! The Whitefish Bay Garden Club educates residents about World Migratory Bird Day at Bay Day each year (Garden Club Members Pictured at Bay Day in 2019). 

Stay on track with your child’s vaccinations. It is important to protect children two years and younger from vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) and stay on track with your children’s well-child visits and recommended vaccinations. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend that children stay on track with their well-child appointments and routine vaccinations – even during COVID-19.  

Vaccinating your child according to the recommended immunization schedule gives him or her the best protection against 14 serious childhood illnesses — like measles and whooping cough — before the age of 2. According to the CDC: 

You can review the 2021 easy-to-read immunization schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

For more information about vaccines and the diseases they prevent, visit these resources: 

If you have questions about vaccines, talk to your child’s doctor.

Thanks to all who attended the film discussion of Teach Us All. A big thank you also to our co-sponsors: Whitefish Bay Public Library, Whitefish Bay High School Black Student Union, Richards PTO, Whitefish Bay High School Parent Association, and Christ Church Episcopal. We had great community participation and meaningful discussions. Conversations covered topics like access to education, the history of segregation, white suburban flight, and affordable housing. We look forward to continued dialogue and action. To stay up to date on the latest activities and ways to help make Whitefish Bay a more welcoming community, don't forget to:

Save the date! The community is cordially invited to Whitefish Bay’s 6th Annual Memorial Day Ceremony, sponsored by the Whitefish Bay Civic Foundation. The event is at 11:00 a.m. on May 31, 2021 at Armory Park (Corner of Henry Clay St. and Ardmore Ave.)

The ceremony will be an opportunity for Veterans to connect with one another and for the community to honor our country’s fallen service members. The event will also give Whitefish Bay families a way to teach children the meaning behind Memorial Day and to witness traditional military customs.

Attendees are encouraged to keep themselves and community members healthy during the ceremony, which includes remaining a safe physical distance from others and following any other CDC / Village guidelines recommended for outdoor events.

The North Shore Health Department is hosting a Johnson and Johnson Clinic on Wednesday 5/5/2021 in Brown Deer. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine is available to individuals 18+. Sign up for an appointment here.

Other locations performing COVID-19 Vaccinations for eligible North Shore residents: