Ex-Round Lake Beach police chief a 'consummate professional'

Former Round Lake Beach police chief Ed Sindles is described by peers as a true cop who possessed a passion for his profession.

Sindles, who also was a deputy chief with the Lake County Sheriff's Office during his career, died Sunday at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville. He was 73.

Lake County Coroner Dr. Richard Keller said Sindles died of heart disease, a result of his battle with diabetes.

Sindles was a police officer with Mundelein and Hawthorn Woods in 1966 before being named deputy superintendent of corrections for the Lake County Sheriff's Office in 1987. There, he was credited with writing policies and procedures for the transition Lake County jail while the current jail was being built, and helped create procedures and policies for the new facility.

"He truly had a passion for this profession," said Lake County Undersheriff Charles Fagan, who worked with Sindles since the 1970s. "He was a consummate professional who garnered a lot of respect from his peers. He is going to be sorely missed."

Sindles was named Round Lake Beach police chief in 1994, serving through 2003. After retiring, he became a law enforcement teacher at College of Lake County.

"He gave me my very first promotion at the department, when I went from officer to sergeant," said Round Lake Beach Deputy Chief Rich Chiarello. "He was more excited about the promotion than I was. I told him that when we spoke a couple of weeks ago."

Chiarello said Round Lake Beach Police officials put bunting on the front of the police station to honor Sindles, and all officers are wearing mourning bands across their badges.

"The family should be honored that he touched so many lives the way that he did," Chiarello added. "I'm sure the support he had will be obvious by the turnout at his memorial service."

Daughter Tammy Campbell said the memorial service will be Thursday, 5 to 8 p.m. at Calvary Presbyterian Church, 510 N. Cedar Lake Road, Round Lake.

Campbell said Sindles' law enforcement career will be on display during the service, with the many badges, pictures and other artifacts he had collected.

"We, as a family, are real proud of everything he did," she said. "And, we want to make sure his many grandchildren will see the numerous things he accomplished throughout his career. We are all real proud of him."