Wheaton police chief leaving to take College of DuPage post
Wheaton police Chief Jim Volpe will step down in June to start a new job at the College of DuPage in neighboring Glen Ellyn, officials said Thursday.
Volpe has been named director of the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy at the state's largest community college. His last day in Wheaton will be June 24.
Volpe is retiring from the Wheaton department he joined in 1983. He rose through the ranks over more than 30 years, serving as a patrol officer, shift commander/sergeant, commander/lieutenant and head of the investigations division.
He was promoted to chief in 2015 after the retirement of Mark Field as the city's longtime top cop. Volpe currently is paid $150,500 a year.
He will receive a $100,000 salary at COD. His first day at the academy will be June 25.
"I have had the honor of working with Chief Volpe for more than 25 years here in Wheaton, and although he will be missed by our staff and our residents, we are happy for him and his family, as he has been presented with an opportunity that will keep him close to our community," City Manager Mike Dzugan said in a statement.
Wheaton officials plan to conduct a search for Volpe's successor later this spring. An interim chief has not been named, but officials hope to announce one by mid-June, a city spokeswoman said.
"Our police department has a strong leadership structure in place that will allow us to continue to provide top-quality service to the Wheaton community without interruption as we transition to a new police chief," Dzugan said.
Volpe received a bachelor's degree in education from Illinois State University in 1980 and a juris doctoral degree from DePaul University Law School in 1992. He has served as an instructor for COD's Suburban Law Enforcement Academy and as a Northwest Multi-Regional Training adjunct instructor.
"It has been my privilege to work with such an exceptional team in the Wheaton Police Department, and our residents should know that they have truly dedicated professionals working every day to serve and protect them," Volpe said in a statement.