Former Libertyville police chief, village trustee Pat Carey dies at 72
Libertyville has lost a second former police chief in less than a week.
Pat Carey, who led the department from 1996 to 2010 and later served as a village trustee, died Friday at the age of 72. His death follows that of his police department successor, Clint Herdegen, 61, who served until late last year. Herdegen died Nov. 22.
Described as a humble man of integrity, Carey rose through the ranks in Glenview and was deputy chief when he was selected from among 126 applicants for the top post in Libertyville.
After retiring, Carey moved to Florida for a time, but he returned to Libertyville in 2016 as village Administrator Kevin Bowens was about to retire.
"Kevin Bowens was retiring when Pat came back from Florida, and I asked him to apply for manager," said former Mayor Terry Weppler.
"He was a very humble man and said he wouldn't make a good manager, but he'd be willing to help out with any other thing the village needed," he said.
Weppler, with board approval, appointed Carey to fill a village board vacancy with the resignation of Todd Gaines.
Gaines at the time expressed confidence in Carey and called him "a man of integrity."
Carey was the top vote-getter and elected to a 4-year term on the village board in 2017. Along with Weppler and incumbents Rich Moras and Jay Justice, Carey chose not to run for reelection in 2021.
"He was one of the most involved trustees we had during my term," Weppler said.
"He attended most of the commission meetings and regularly met with residents and business owners, and accompanied me to most ribbon cuttings, and helped film some of the business-of-the-day videos," Weppler said.
Libertyville native Scott Adams, appointed in 2014 and in the middle of a second elected term, is the longest serving village trustee.
"He was a great guy, tremendous police chief and good board member," Adams said of Carey. "(He) always had the residents of Libertyville at heart and wanted to do the best for them and the village."
Carey worked for a Buick dealership before joining Glenview as a patrol officer in 1976. He switched to law enforcement as offering a better opportunity for advancement and earned a master's degree in management from National Louis University.
Carey was a life member and participant in the International Chiefs of Police Association, Illinois Chiefs of Police Association and former president of the Lake County Chiefs of Police Association.
He also was vice president with GovHR USA, a management recruiting firm.
"Pat was a good friend and I know I will truly miss him and it's a great loss to the community," Weppler said.
Arrangements are pending.