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WHEELING - Lt. Mike VanKirk was proud to serve as Wheeling's police chief.

That doesn't mean he'll miss it.

Today, VanKirk will serve his final shift as Wheeling's interim police chief. He assumed the post July 10, filling the void left by the retirement of former chief Kevin Gessler. VanKirk was recognized Tuesday by members of Wheeling City Council for his service as police chief.

VanKirk turns over the reins of the city's police department to Robert Matheny, who will be sworn in Monday. Matheny served 20 years with the Clarksburg Police Department, where he reached the rank of lieutenant. Matheny will turn in his badge to Clarksburg officials today.

There is no hat VanKirk hasn't worn in the police department. In his 23 years, he served as a motorcycle officer, equipment director, drug task force member, detective and shift supervisor before ascending to the rank of lieutenant.

VanKirk did not apply for the chief's position vacated by Gessler, but he never waivered when city officials approached him to assume the role on a temporary basis. He said he is grateful to city officials for having the faith in him to lead the Wheeling Police Department.

On Thursday, Wheeling Mayor Andy McKenzie commended VanKirk for his work as interim chief and for his 23 years of service to the Wheeling Police Department. He also credited Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron for appointing VanKirk. The mayor said he was not surprised by the manner in which VanKirk handled the role of chief.

"In all the years he's been with the department he's displayed honesty and integrity, and he carried that through in his short tenure as chief of the police in the city of Wheeling," McKenzie said. "With people like him, you expect nothing less. He displayed a great work ethic, and he did the city a great justice."

VanKirk had difficulty Wednesday in describing what he enjoyed most in his nearly four months as Wheeling's police chief. He spoke in broad terms regarding the rewards of being the city's top cop.

"It's the experience," VanKirk said. "It is pretty much everything you hear, but you never know what it really entails until you do it. It was nice to see that I can do it."

VanKirk learned that Wheeling's police chief is never really off the job. The chief of police can't help but take the job home, and it can be overwhelming, he said. VanKirk does not lament walking away from the office of Wheeling's police chief.

"I'm relieved," VanKirk said. "I'll have a little more spare time. The hardest part of the job is trying to keep up with everything. There are lot of things thrown at you that need your attention when you are still dealing with things you were trying to get finished from yesterday or the day before. Sometimes you can't get things done in five, 10 or 15 minutes.

"As chief, I had to have the answers or find the answers," he added. "It's tough sometimes."

VanKirk will return to his post a lieutenant and shift supervisor. However, he may again be wearing a different hat. VanKirk said he plans to apply for the position of support services commander, which involves criminal investigations and the drug task force. The post was vacated with the retirement of Lt. Gary Gaus.

VanKirk said he doesn't know if he's served enough time as Wheeling's police chief to be justified in offering advice to Matheny. He did say it takes patience to be the chief. VanKirk said a source of concern is a decline in the number of men and women interested in becoming law enforcement officers - not just in Wheeling, but throughout West Virginia.

"Our biggest problem is hiring," VanKirk said. "We have open positions we can't fill. We can't fill them as fast as they open. We don't have enough people taking the Civil Service Police Officer Entry test."

VanKirk, 46, lives in Wheeling with his wife, Shay. They've been married 23 years. The VanKirks have two children. Their daughter Sarah, 20, is a junior at Duke University in Durham, N.C. Their son Kevin, 18, is a freshman at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C. Both of the VanKirks' children are graduates of The Linsly School.

VanKirk said he expects to work at least a few more years in the Wheeling Police Department. He eventually may become a full-time police chief, but he doesn't expect to be Wheeling's police chief.

"I hope so ... maybe with another department down the road," VanKirk said of serving as a chief again. "I want to go south where it's warm. My kids are in school down south, and I don't like the cold weather."