VIDALIA— Knowing the three-page job description of Vidalia Police Department assistant chief of police isn’t as important to Bruce Wiley as making sure the work gets done.

After four years of climbing the ladder within the department, Wiley was promoted to assistant chief two weeks ago from his former position as major.

And while his day-to-day responsibilities have grown with the promotion, Wiley said his main goal is to be the department’s right-hand man.

“There’s not really a list of things I have to do every day, I just come in and take care of everything as it comes up,” Wiley said. “My main concern is taking as much stress off of Chief (Arthur) Lewis as possible.

“Some of the less life-threatening concerns that need to be dealt with, I’ll handle now instead of Chief (Lewis).”

Starting his career with the police department as a dispatcher in 2008, Wiley was promoted to patrol officer after graduating from the police academy that same year.

But just four short months later, Wiley was promoted to sergeant and continued on his path to his most recent position as major.

“I have a good working relationship with the officers and everyone in the department,” Wiley said. “I respect them and they respect me.”

Covering a city on the move needs a police department two steps ahead, and Lewis said having Wiley as assistant chief is crucial for that to happen.

“Years ago, the chief could have handled this city by himself, but the department and the city is growing,” Lewis said. “He’s a tremendous asset to this department and to the City of Vidalia.”

With the police department still adjusting to its new facility in the Vidalia municipal complex and attempting to reopen the former building as a substation, Wiley said he looks forward to helping the department continue to grow.

“He has a plan and a vision for this police department, so I try my best to implement that,” Wiley said. “There’s absolutely no way I could fill those shoes in the near future, but maybe one day.”