Villa Park searching for new police chief
After severing ties with its police chief, Villa Park will bring in a retired chief from the area to temporarily run the department, officials said Friday.
Village Manager Rich Keehner said he is working with the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police to choose a local retired police chief who can lead for two to three months while a search for a permanent chief is conducted.
“We’re trying to use a retired chief of police someplace in our area who has the ability to work with us for a short term, and then it’ll be a process to replace the chief with a full-time chief,” Keehner said.
A temporary leader should take charge of the department from Deputy Chief Bob Budig within seven to 10 days, Keehner said.
Villa Park and former police Chief John Heidelmeier reached an agreement early Tuesday morning ending his employment with the village.
Village President Tom Cullerton said attorneys for the village and the former chief directed he and village board members not to discuss the terms of the agreement or the circumstances that led to it.
Keehner only would say Heidelmeier’s departure was not as abrupt as it may have seemed.
“It seemed sudden on the outside looking in, but it wasn’t sudden,” Keehner said.
Heidelmeier had been chief less than two years, Cullerton said.