'You're so much more than just a cop': Leaders honor retiring Mount Prospect chief

Mount Prospect leaders on Tuesday honored retiring Police Chief John Koziol, who rounded out a 36-year law enforcement career with an eventful four years at the helm of the village's force.

Koziol, who previously served 12 years as Palatine's police chief, oversaw the construction of an award-winning new police headquarters in Mount Prospect, but also found himself in the middle of a national controversy over the department's uniform patch.

"You came in at a time when we needed you," Mayor Paul Hoefert told Koziol Tuesday. "You certainly helped us build a brand new police station, which will serve our community hopefully for 100 years."

The $30 million police station, created out of a former industrial building in the Kensington Business Center, won a 2021 Law Enforcement Design Award from Officer Magazine last month. It replaced the combined police and fire headquarters downtown that, officials said, was too small and antiquated for a modern police department.

Village Manager Michael Cassady said when Koziol was appointed, he referred to him as "a cop's cop."

"You're so much more than just a cop," Cassady added. "You're really an incredible leader and you were able to accomplish so much in these four short years. You were always present. It didn't matter if it was midnight shift. It didn't matter if it was afternoons. You weren't just hanging with the day shift. You were present, and that's felt by these officers and that helped solidify, I think, our department in a big way."

Trustee John Matuszak praised Koziol in particular for creating a strong leadership team within the department and his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"There was no textbook, no guidance on that," he said.

Koziol expressed thanks and congratulated his successor, new Chief Michael Eterno, and other department leaders.

"I can tell you the future of the Mount Prospect Police Department is very bright with them around and you have a deep bench for the future as well," he said. "I don't see you ever hiring another outside chief."