After more than two decades with the Geneseo Police Department, Jamison Weisser is stepping into a new role he says he never expected to have in his career.
The Geneseo City Council unanimously confirmed Police Chief Casey Disterhoft’s appointment of Weisser as the city’s new deputy chief of police Tuesday night.
Then he took a few minutes to talk about how he got there.
Newly appointed Deputy Chief of Police Jamison Weisser
“I did not expect this,” Weisser told those gathered at City Hall. “This was never part of my, I guess, part of my plan, my career. I had it all laid out, and then some things changed, and here we are. And I’m so excited to be here.”
Weisser thanked his friends and family, members of the police department, and former department leaders who attended the meeting.
“Honestly, you guys guided my path, you know, from starting in 2002,” Weisser said.
He ended simply.
“I’m just excited. I’m really looking forward to getting started.”
More Than Two Decades in Geneseo
Weisser’s promotion follows a long career within the Geneseo Police Department.
City records show he joined the department in 2002. By the city's 2022 annual report, Weisser had been with GPD for 21 years and had served as a sergeant for nearly seven years. At the time, he supervised the department's day shift, including the School Resource Officer and four patrol officers.
By 2023, his supervisory responsibilities included day-shift patrol officers, detectives, and the School Resource Officer.
Those annual reports also provide a glimpse into the priorities Weisser has emphasized during his years as a supervisor.
In 2022, he wrote about the department's Crisis Intervention Team training, which was intended to help officers better understand people experiencing mental-health crises, use de-escalation techniques and connect people with resources.
He also emphasized interactions between officers and residents that don't involve enforcement.
“To assist in further developing relationships within our community the department encourages officers to have positive non-law enforcement interactions,” Weisser wrote.
He pointed to officers visiting schools and businesses and talking with residents as examples.
Weisser also wrote that year that it was valuable when the community and police department could work together to improve residents' lives, citing National Night Out as one example.
That emphasis continued in his 2023 annual report, where he highlighted officer training, school visits, business checks and conversations with residents. He also recognized department initiatives involving mental-health awareness and school safety.
From Sergeant to Deputy Chief
The promotion moves Weisser from supervising portions of the department into its command structure.
The chief of police remains the head of the Geneseo Police Department, with Disterhoft currently serving in that role. The deputy chief serves immediately below the chief and provides another level of leadership within the department.
City records show Geneseo has historically maintained both a chief and deputy chief as part of its command structure.
Weisser's appointment represents a significant step in his Geneseo Police Department career — moving from his longtime supervisory role as sergeant into the department's executive leadership.