Police chief chosen to replace Holbrook in House

BELLEVILLE, Ill. — A southwestern Illinois police chief is headed to the Illinois House.

The Belleville News-Democrat reports that Fairmount City Police Chief Scott Penny has been appointed to the 113th state House district seat vacated last month by Tom Holbrook.

The move was announced by the St. Clair County Democratic Central Committee.

Holbrook stepped down to become the Illinois Pollution Control Board’s chairman. Penny will close out the remainder of Holbrook’s unexpired term, which ends in January 2013.

The St. Clair County Democrats already have endorsed former House member Jay Hoffman to run for the seat in the Democratic primary on March 20. Hoffman is from Collinsville and still must move into the district.

The district includes parts of Madison and St. Clair counties.