Carol Stream police chief to retire July 1

Carol Stream police Chief Kevin Orr, who has served in various roles with the department since 1988, will retire effective July 1.

Village Manager Joseph Breinig said Orr submitted a letter stating his intent to retire in January.

Orr did not give a reason for his retirement in the letter and declined to comment this week. He is on paid family medical leave.

Breinig said Orr has met the requirements for receiving a full pension, which will total nearly $98,000 a year.

Orr joined the department in June 1988 and received multiple promotions over time, culminating in being appointed chief in October 2008, Breinig said.

He received the Employee of the Year award in 1992 and 1993. He also received Valor awards in 1993 from the village, the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the Hundred Club of DuPage County.

Breinig praised Orr for guiding the department "quite effectively" through the recession while maintaining a high level of performance.

Orr was a good team player during a time when officials were having discussions about the size of the workforce and figuring out how to avoid layoffs, the manager said.

" ... Collectively we were able to get through one of the worst economic downturns in our country's history and come out on the other side better for it," Breinig said. "It was tough, but he was fantastic through that."

Orr's retirement does not mean the village needs to rush to appoint a replacement, Breinig said.

Although it's important to have a chief, the department is structured so the two deputy chiefs, one responsible for patrol and the other for administration, "are more than capable of operating the department for a period of time in the absence of the chief," he said.

Orr and former Chief Rick Willing both were deputy chiefs when they were named acting chiefs and eventually appointed to the top position.

Breinig said he expects to name one of the deputy chiefs as acting chief and then move forward from there.