Lisle police chief to retire after 28 years on the force
Lisle police Chief David Anderson plans to retire this month after spending his entire 28-year law enforcement career with the department.
Anderson's departure, effective Oct. 18, was announced in a statement from the village.
"It has been my greatest pleasure to serve this community," Anderson said Friday. "What I valued most from my service is working with tremendous police officers and getting to know and build relationships with the community."
A former National Guard member, Anderson was attending college in 1991 when he was hired to become a Lisle police officer. He rose through the ranks holding a variety of positions, including patrol sergeant, detective sergeant, watch commander and deputy chief. He also went on to receive his bachelor's degree in criminal justice management in 2001 and a master's degree in management and organizational behavior in 2009.
Anderson was named chief in December 2013.
Officials said Anderson helped successfully resuscitate a heart attack victim in 2010, which earned him a Life Saving Award that year from the Lisle-Woodridge Fire Protection District. He has received a number of other awards during his career, including Officer of the Year and a Meritorious Citation in 2004.
Village Manager Eric Ertmoed said Anderson contributed a great deal to the department.
"Throughout his career, his leadership, integrity and desire to do what was best for the Lisle community, and the men and women of the Lisle Police Department, has been the underpinning of his success," Ertmoed said. "His presence on the village team will be missed."
During his tenure as chief, Anderson said, internal changes were made to make the department a better place to work and to improve service to the community.
He said he's especially proud of the work he's done with Unity Partnership, a group that strives to break down barriers between law enforcement and civilians.
Anderson first connected with Unity Partnership when Lisle police were protecting DuPage African Methodist Episcopal Church during the funeral service for Sandra Bland, who died in a Texas jail cell in 2015.
He said trying to bridge the gap between community members and the police "has become an incredible part of what our department has done."
On Monday night, the village board will consider whether to appoint to Deputy Chief Ron Wilke as interim chief. There's also going to be proclamation recognizing Anderson's service to the village.
"Though we are disappointed that Chief Anderson will no longer be part of our organization," Mayor Chris Pecak said, "we are happy for him and for the many good things that await him in the next chapter of his life."