Retiring Hanover Park police chief will be new deputy village manager

Hanover Park Police Chief David Webb will retire from his position as top cop July 20, and will start his new job as Hanover Park deputy village manager July 25, village officials announced Tuesday.

Webb has served with the Hanover Park Police Department for the past 26 years, and has been chief for the past seven years.

The deputy village manager position was included in the 2016 budget, and trustees voted in February to start looking for someone to fill the position.

Hanover Park Village Manager Rod Craig said the village was getting ready to post the position when Webb showed interest in it.

"We are blessed by being able to find an exceptional deputy village manager internally," Craig said.

The village was able to save time and money in not having to look externally to fill the position, Craig added.

Webb's starting salary will be $130,000, Village Manager Juliana Maller said. As police chief, Webb's budgeted salary is $143,882, according to village documents.

The deputy village manager will serve as the village's spokesman, and one of Webb's first projects will be working with staff and the village board to develop a communications plan, Maller said. He will also oversee the human resources and information technology departments.

Coming in as deputy village manager, Webb falls under the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund's Tier 2 plan. Under this plan, he has to serve for 10 years before being fully vested.

Webb isn't yet old enough to begin collecting his police pension, Maller said. Once Webb turns 50, he can begin collecting of 65 percent of the salary he received in his final year.

Craig applauded Webb's work in getting the police department on Facebook and Twitter, and said he hopes Webb will bring similar advances to the village.

"Communications with the police department have just been superb," Craig said.

Webb's career move closely mirrors that of his predecessor, Ron Moser, who served as Hanover Park village manager for three years after 11 years as police chief. Maller was chosen out of 45 applicants to replace Moser after he retired in 2012.

Webb has a bachelor's degree from Western Illinois University, and graduated from Northwestern University's public safety School of Staff & Command. He also has a master's degree in police psychology from Adler University.