Aurora police chief will step down in April

With 30 years of service behind him, Aurora's most decorated adrenaline junkie is ready to take it easy.

Police Chief William Powell, 55, announced Thursday that he will retire effective April 15. He has served as chief for about 2½ years.

He joined the Aurora department in December 1977 and became the first black to serve in its supervisory and command ranks. During his career, he spent many years on the Special Operations Group, where he investigated gang and vice crimes. He also served on the Special Response (SWAT) Team.

"I am an adrenaline junkie in the purest form. I mean I didn't want to work behind a desk, so it's going to be hard not being a police officer anymore," he said after making his announcement. "Making a difference in the community by taking bad guys off the streets or changing their mindsets is still thrilling to me and I'm going to miss that."

As chief, Powell pushed for increased technology, including the numerous red light cameras to be placed at city intersections later this year. Under his leadership, Aurora also began building its new police headquarters at 1200 East Indian Trail.

None of those projects, he said, would rank as his biggest accomplishment.

"All I wanted to do was make a difference in the community that I love," he said Thursday. "Now that the end is near I can go to sleep knowing I'm proud of my time serving Aurora."

Once he nods off, however, his dreams will fade to those of long-distance drives, birdies and the ever-elusive hole-in-one.

"I'm going to golf and then I'm going to play some more golf and then I may golf some more," he said. "If I'm not golfing at least twice a week, check my pulse 'cause I'm dead."

He's also looking forward to spending time with his elderly mother in Chicago and his grandchildren who live out of state.

"I'll be 56 soon but I don't feel that old and I can retire and not have to work again if I don't want to," he said. "I've seen some good friends pass away recently, and it helped me decide that I might as well make the best of my time to relax a bit and smell the roses."

Mayor Thomas Weisner, who appointed Powell chief in November 2005, will be busy finding a new leader.

"Even as chief, Bill remained out there interacting with the community like no police chief I've ever seen," Weisner said in a statement. "His honesty built a sense of trust earning him the respect of citizens and city officials alike."

Powell said he intends to make the search easier on the mayor.

"I'm going to suggest to the mayor that it's not necessary for him to go outside of the department," he said. "I have hand-picked a command staff and nine of my 10 lieutenants so I've put in place a team that I believe is the future of this police department."