State police director to go to another agency

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn reassigned his besieged state police director Monday, just days before his likely ouster from the post.

Quinn announced that Jonathon Monken, acting director of the state police for nearly two years, will take over as chief of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. The Senate was poised to block his appointment as permanent police chief Wednesday.

The Democratic governor thanked Monken in a statement for his service to the state police, "which he has led with honor and distinction — most recently during a major snowstorm." He said Monken's military leadership experience is well suited for the agency that helps the state prepare for and recover from disasters.

The Senate must confirm such gubernatorial appointments. It has balked at approving Monken as top cop since his hiring in March 2009. Lawmakers said the 31-year-old Iraq war tank platoon veteran was too inexperienced for that job, but never gave him an up-or-down vote.

The clock was about to run out, however. The Senate must use its "advise and consent" powers within 60 legislative session days of an appointment. Monken's 60th day as state police chief would have been Wednesday and the Executive Appointments Committee has a hearing scheduled that day.

Quinn pulled the plug Monday and, despite publicly supporting Monken repeatedly as the $132,566-a-year police director, wouldn't say why.

A spokesman for Democratic Senate President John Cullerton said only that given the new appointment, Monken "will go through the process like any other administrative appointee."

Monken will make $128,920.

Joseph Klinger, who has been interim IEMA director since May when President Barack Obama made Andrew Velasquez a regional director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will return to his previous role as assistant director. The 62-year-old Klinger makes $115,613.

Quinn said Monken showed suitable emergency-management leadership qualities during the blizzard earlier this month, when the governor's office reported that Illinois State Police and the Illinois National Guard assisted 4,000 stranded motorists and attended to 270 accidents.

Patrick Keen, the deputy director for administration and a 25-year agency veteran, will be interim state police director.