Nearly 20-year veteran McCorkle moves up in rank

Zachary McCorkle, a nearly 20-year veteran of the Elgin Police Department, Friday was promoted to sergeant.

“We’re promoting someone who is not only very well thought of in the police department, but also in the community,” Elgin Police Chief Jeff Swoboda said to the crowd gathered for the ceremony in the lobby of the police department.

McCorkle, 51, has worked for the department 19½ years. He was assigned for almost 10 years to the Kane/Cook auto theft task force, where he was an inspector and worked high-level, multijurisdictional auto theft cases. He also was a field training officer for eight years.

Among those in attendance were McCorkle’s wife of 29 years, Paula, and their two daughters.

“I’ve been a resident of Elgin for 29 years and I’ve raised my kids here, so it feels really good,” McCorkle said.

“To thank everyone would be impossible. Everyone I’ve ever worked with has taught me something and I’ll be forever grateful.”

McCorkle is a past recipient of Kane County’s and Elgin’s officer of the year awards.

Ÿ Daily Herald staff photographer Rick West contributed to this story.