Campton Hills police chief Anderson resigns

Campton Hills Police Chief Greg Anderson, who built the village police force from the ground up as its first officer, has resigned to take a job as police chief in Oak Forest, officials said Wednesday.

Anderson, 52, said the decision to leave one year before his contract expires had nothing to do with the village, but rather an opportunity to lead a larger organization.

"It's a well-established department," Anderson said of the far South suburban force. "It's the right fit at the right time."

Village leaders hired Anderson to a three-year contract after Campton Hills incorporated in May 2007. His primary mission was to create a police department that could serve the entire community.

Since then, the police force has grown to six full-time officers and nine part-time officers who command a fleet of five squads.

"He has served the people of Campton Hills with tremendous skill since 2007, and we will miss his leadership," Village President Patsy Smith said in news release. "I wish him continued success in his new position."

Anderson's departure comes just months after the village looked to cut funds from his budget for the hiring of a village administrator. But he said that had little to do with his decision to resign.

"I was disappointed with that," he said, "but that certainly wasn't a sole factor. Part of being a professional manager is anticipating challenges."

Anderson said he is still "amazed" at how far the department has come since it assumed jurisdiction previously held by the Kane County Sheriff's Department on Oct. 31, 2007. But he credits his officers for transitioning the force beyond "three old squad cars and a room in the back of village hall.

"I got the lion's share of the credit for starting the police department but I couldn't have done it without the officers' help," he said. "As I reflect and think about how far we've come, it's amazing."

Asked about other accomplishments as chief, Anderson said he's proud of the communication his office has maintained with the public, from e-mail blasts on local crime to meetings with neighborhood watch groups.

"My goal and one of the missions I had was to provide the highest level of public service we could, and I think we achieved a lot of that," he said.

Anderson said the details of his transition to the new job in Cook County are still in the works, but he expects to remain on staff in Campton Hills until January to assist whoever fills his shoes.

Village board member Jim Kopec said Anderson has already provided a list of potential replacements, and officials hope to hire a new chief by the end of the year.

Kopec said the board does not plan to fight Anderson for resigning from his contract early because it would be "counterproductive" for everyone involved.

"I hoped he (Anderson) would have a longer career with the village," Kopec said. "Greg is a real personable police chief. He likes to be able to work with people and solve issues before they become problems. We hope we'll find someone with a similar, proactive philosophy."