Lake in the Hills' former top cop posthumously honored

In the nearly three decades Irving "Irv" Floress served as Lake in the Hills' top cop, he laid the foundation for a professional police department during the village's infancy.

Floress, who died last July, posthumously was recognized for his service to the community Dec. 6 when officials dedicated the police department's Safety Education Center in his name.

The center, 1109 Crystal Lake Road, is a base for the police department's community-oriented policing efforts, including programs such as lunch with a cop, citizens police academies, a safety camp for kids, and bike patrol.

It represents the department's commitment to forming a proactive partnership with village residents and providing the highest level of police services possible - something Floress dedicated his career toward achieving.

A World War II Navy veteran and Purple Heart recipient, Floress had a painting business in 1951 when he moved to the area that a year later would be incorporated as Lake in the Hills.

Beginning in 1953, Floress served the village in many capacities, including as its first full-time employee, building inspector, superintendent of roads and civil defense director. In 1957, he took on the role of police chief, holding the post until his retirement in 1985 after 32 years of service to the village.

"It was a quieter time back then. A lot less people ... surrounded by farms, cornfields and cows," said Floress' eldest son, Mike Floress of McHenry, a retired Crystal Lake police officer and a court security officer with the McHenry County Sheriff's Office.

"Mayberry, that's exactly how it was in the 1950s. There weren't a lot of police calls back in the day. Everybody knew everybody."

Floress had a brother and two brothers-in-law who were Chicago police officers, which sparked his interest in law enforcement, Mike Floress said.

He would patrol Lake in the Hills' gravel roads in his own car and respond to calls mostly involving neighbor disputes, barking dog complaints, and occasional crimes, such as car break-ins and disorderly conduct, Mike Floress said.

"He loved police work. Everybody knew Chief Floress. If there was a problem, he would go negotiate," Mike Floress said. "He spent all his life working with the community, for the people. He was a unique person, well loved by many. He would have been real proud to have the building named after him. It's a fantastic police department now."

Floress' vision and leadership as the village's chief law enforcement executive helped the police department expand from roughly nine sworn officers in its early years to the now 38 officers and nine full-time civilian employees serving nearly 29,000 residents.

"Our police department has grown considerably over the years and developed into a full-service professional organization based on the groundwork of chief Floress," Lake in the Hills Police Chief David Brey said.

"We are honored to recognize the profound lasting impact he made in this community."