The desire to make a difference was a central theme Dec. 7 as newly pinned University of Wisconsin Oshkosh police chief Chris Tarmann spoke of the calling he and fellow officers have to serve their communities. “As members of the UWO police department, we are entrusted with a unique privilege—the opportunity to make a profound impact on the lives of those we serve,” Tarmann said at an oath of office ceremony before a group of family, friends and employees at Culver Family Welcome Center on the University’s Oshkosh campus, where he officially became the chief of police. “Every moment we spend in our roles carries significance. From the simplest interactions to the most complex situation,
each encounter provides us with the chance to make a difference. It is through the unwavering commitment to excellence in these moments that you get to build your legacy.”
Tarmann was hired as a UWO police officer in 2008 and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 2011. He was appointed acting police chief in June 2022, as Chief Kurt Leibold was appointed to another leadership role on campus. After graduating from the criminal justice program at Fox Valley Technical College in 2005, Tarmann worked at several agencies before coming to UWO. He completed his bachelor’s degree in human services at UWO in 2014 and graduated in 2021 from the Wisconsin Command College—an in-residence, six-week nationally accredited leadership and development training program. Tarmann vowed, in his role as chief, to be the best person he can be, to always listen, to maintain accountability and ensure a strong vision for the future. He told those in attendance that there are significant stresses and risks, but also great rewards with a policing career. “The role of a police officer is one of the highest honors one can hold in our society,” he said. “It is a role that requires us to be the guardians of peace, protectors of justice and beacons of hope for those who may not have anyone left to give them hope.”
