Lowell police chief announces his resignation

LOWELL | Lowell Police Chief John Shelhart is resigning his post effective March 16.

Shelhart said Tuesday that he notified the Lowell Town Council and Police Commission members of his decision to retire Monday night.

“It’s time. I’ve been doing this for a long time,” said Shelhart, who has been chief since 2006. “For personal reasons I just want to move on.”

Shelhart’s law enforcement career, which began with the Merrillville Police Department, has spanned more than 36 years. In Merrillville, Shelhart worked his way up the ranks from patrolman to chief of police. He also served as a tribal police chief in the state of Washington on the Colville Indian Reservation.

Shelhart has served on several local law enforcement boards.

He is past president of the Northwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy board and past member of the Lake County Sheriff’s Merit Board.

“He was president for the last two years of the NILEA board of directors,” Academy Director Patrick Murray said. “He and I worked very closely on some funding issues. I enjoyed working with him, and we will miss having him on the board.”

Shelhart is currently a member of the Lake County 911 commission, in charge of the technology aspect of a merger of local police dispatch centers.

A replacement or acting chief for Shelhart, who declined to comment publicly on future plans, had not been named as of Tuesday. In addition to Shelhart and Assistant Chief Scott Tokach, the Lowell Police Department has 12 active and five reserve officers.