Elgin police hires two, celebrates milestones

In its customary display of support for the accomplishments of its own, the Elgin Police Department held a retirement and promotion ceremony Friday afternoon.

Sgt. Christopher Troiola retired after nearly 26 years of service, and Officer Rick Demierre was promoted to the rank of sergeant.

Despite having bittersweet feelings, Troiola is excited to start a new chapter in his life, he said at the ceremony at the Centre of Elgin.

“The main thing that stands out for me in my career is, I have always tried to treat people like I wanted to be treated, no matter what,” he said. “Every call that I went to was a situation, and I was never naive enough to think that I couldn't one day find myself in that same situation.”

Earlier this year, Troiola was named officer of the year by American Legion Post 57 in Elgin.

Demierre, hired in April 2001, is assigned to the day shift patrol. Two new officers, Yamil Rivera and Christopher Hall, were sworn in as well.

The hiring of Rivera, who served as a military police officer in the U.S. Navy, is the direct result of a police recruiting trip to Puerto Rico, Cmdr. Ana Lalley said. The goal of the September 2014 trip was to cast a wider net for applicants.

The police department employs 182 full-time officers.

Also at the ceremony, Salvador Zamudio got a plaque in recognition of his 29 years of service as an auxiliary officer in Elgin.