Round Lake Park finds new police chief from the ranks

The new top cop in Round Lake Park is a 24-year department veteran well versed in the responsibilities that come with the post.

As deputy chief, Daniel Burch worked closely with his predecessor, George Filenko, who retired Feb. 19 after serving as chief since 1999. The village board on Tuesday approved Burch as Mayor Linda Lucassen's choice to lead the department.

Burch is the third chief in 26 years after Bruce Johnson and Filenko. The transition is expected to be seamless.

"Dan was a tremendous asset to me personally and to the department," Filenko said. "We worked as partners."

Burch advanced through the ranks and has served as deputy chief since 2006.

A married father of four, Burch served 16 years in the Marine Corps Reserve and attained the rank of staff sergeant. He was deployed to Kuwait during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Burch started with the department the same year Lucassen was elected village clerk.

"He has been an asset from the beginning, always on top of things," she said. "He's proven himself over and over again."

Lucassen said she considered conducting a search for a new chief.

"(But) after seeing his record, I didn't see any reason to do that," she said. "We had an outstanding candidate right here in the village."

Burch says that after 24 years, he has a good handle on things but plans to reach out to the community in a variety of ways "to find out what they're looking for in the department."

"I always want to be open" to community input, he said.

Another order of business will be to determine what changes might be needed to comply with the criminal justice reform bill recently signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Burch served as acting chief when Filenko was not available.

Filenko said that every day, he and Burch would discuss ideas, changes in the law, training or other matters involving the department.

"Always by the end of the day, we'd come to a mutual conclusion," Filenko said. "Dan Burch is a class act."