Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas has named Mike DeHaven as the city’s Assistant Police Chief, working in partnership with Jeff Balon who was named as Police Chief earlier in the week. Costas will swear in both Balon and DeHaven in a ceremony at 9 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 21 at City Hall. The public is welcome to attend.
Jeff Balon is a 25-year veteran of the department, most recently serving as Captain of Investigations. He has extensive law enforcement experience, including both patrol division and detective experience. Balon also has significant regional exposure in safety as a member of the Northwest Indiana Major Crimes Task force from 2006 to 2015, serving as a past Assistant Commander. He was also a crisis negotiator for the Porter County SWAT team, and has been a member of the FOP Lodge 76 for the last 25 years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in public safety management, with distinction, from Calumet College of St. Joseph and has attended Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, School of Police Staff and Command.
Mike DeHaven joined the department 21 years ago and has served as Captain of Patrol for the past 10 years, managing the 40-member division, supervising the department’s field training program, and handling logistics for the city’s special events. He holds a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement from the University of Indianapolis and has attended Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, School of Police Staff and Command. DeHaven has earned the department’s Officer of the Year Award as well as Supervisor of the Year Award. He is very involved in the community as a coach and speaker to teen groups.
“The City of Valparaiso is very fortunate to have Jeff Balon and Mike DeHaven in these leadership roles. Not only are they talented and experienced professionals, but they both know our community well, and exemplify the values of community policing that is our city’s priority,” said Mayor Jon Costas.
Balon replaces Police Chief Mike Brickner, appointed by Mayor Costas when he took office fourteen years ago. Brickner has retired from the department and will lead Porter County’s newly created Emergency Communications and Public Safety Department. Assistant Police Chief Rich Spicer has also retired from the department to accept a full time position with the Valparaiso Community Schools as its Assistant Director of Transportation and Safety/Training.