Inverness picks familiar face as police chief

Inverness residents won't have to worry about the village's first ever police chief not being able to find his way around town.

On Tuesday, Robert Haas Jr., current deputy police chief in Palatine and an Inverness resident, was named the village's new chief of police.

Inverness is starting its own police department after deciding in January not to renew its contact with the village of Barrington for those services.

Besides Haas' extensive law enforcement experience, Inverness President Jack Tatooles said his familiarity with the village is what made him the best candidate.

"He lives in the community and everyone knows who he is and everyone knows who his wife is," Tatooles said. "He has all the credentials we are looking for."

Haas has more than 27 years of law enforcement experience, including the past six as deputy police chief in Palatine.

"To have the quality of (Haas), is getting us off on the right foot," said trustee John Willis.

Haas said in a prepared statement that forging close relationships with the residents and offering excellent customer service will be his top priorities.

"Building a police department from the ground up is extremely exciting and challenging for me professionally," he said.

Inverness has been using police services from Barrington since the 1975. Its current - and final - contact expires at the end of April 2009.

Village officials said money was the deciding factor in creating their own police force.

A consultant's study concluded it would cost $1.3 million less over five years for the village to start its own department than to continue on with Barrington.

Tatooles said 65 applicants from as far away as France applied for the police chief position. That group was ultimately narrowed down to four final candidates, who went through an extensive interview process. That process included being questioned by a panel of current and former police chiefs from around the area.

"It was a very trying situation because they were all good candidates," Tatooles said.

The new police department will be housed inside the village hall annex at 1415 Baldwin Road. It will consist of 10 to 12 employees with at least two sworn officers on duty at all times.

Tatooles said hiring those officers will be one of Haas' first tasks.

"He is eager to get started," he said.

Haas officially starts work November 1.