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I first want to say thank you to everyone who was responsible for putting this event together. Kenny Winslow, AJ Bailey, Carmen Elliot, and Christine Richards are the folks who run the day-to-day operations of the Association as well as the conference, and I want to ask them to stand so we can give them a round of applause.

I also want to thank our dignitaries in the audience.

· Lincolnshire Trustees:

o Veronica Pantelis

o Mara Grujanic

o and Jill Razin

· Lincolnshire Village Manager Burke

· Lincolnshire Finance Director Matt Rossi

· Daniel Shanes, Chief Judge of Lake County

· Pastor Seth Williams

· Mike McGuigan from Northwestern University and his wife Rene

· Brian Smith – President of the Lake County Chiefs of Police Association

And then there’s my family: Lisa, Joe, Anne, Caileigh and Samantha.

And I also wanted to acknowledge all of the past Presidents of the Association. It is only because of the work that you have done to keep the Illinois Chiefs moving forward that we are here today. We are stronger today because of the hard work you all put in. Please stand to be recognized.

Now I also need to have a disclaimer. I was born and bred in Illinois. And for many years, those that know me, know I love Illinois and have touted Illinois as the best state in the Union.

I find it amazing that people from all the other states are always so proud of where they are from. And we in Illinois are always so down about our home state.

So, it has become my mission to convert people to love Illinois. We have the best weather, the best housing, the best taxes, the best laws, the best people, and the best cops.

And people have debated me on this point, and so far, I have always been able to convince people that Illinois is truly the best place to live, work, and raise a family. In fact, there is nowhere else I would rather be, and I am very proud to call Illinois my home.

But before I go any further, let me start tonight by introducing the Board. We have 3 Vice Presidents who move up one spot every year, eventually becoming the President. And we also have 3 Regional Vice Presidents At-Large, who represent the Northern, Central, and Southern Illinois regions.

Introduction of the Board:

The now Past President Marc Maton Lemont PD

First Vice President Dan Ryan Leland Grove PD

Second Vice President Eric Barden Zion PD

Third Vice President Kirk Brueggeman O’Fallon PD

Region 3 Vice President At-Large Pat Kreis Vernon Hills

Region 2 Vice President At-Large Darren Gault Moline PD

Region 1 Vice President At-Large Steve Johnson Fairview Heights PD

Parliamentarian Lou Jogmen Highland Park

And then there is me. I will just say that while I am really proud and humbled to be here, it is kind of funny because I accidently fell into this job 35 years ago. I have loved it ever since, and I believe deeply that it is the best job on the planet.

I know that most of you are familiar with the Illinois Chiefs, but for those that are not I would like to give you a little background into the Association.

The Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police began in 1941—84 years ago.

The Association’s top goals are:

Professional Development
Legislative Advocacy
Professional Support
And Outreach

Over the last several years we have focused on legislation efforts and professional development. As you can imagine, the last five years have been nothing short of a roller-coaster ride in Illinois and the whole country frankly.

And this year I am proud to report that one of our best accomplishments was the creation of the Illinois Chief’s Women’s Leadership Section, designed to help police chiefs recruit, retain, and promote women in their police departments. We were wise the enlist the help of several women police leaders to take on the project and move it forward. In fact, I have to give a shout out to Deputy Chief Kim Covelli who led the group of women leaders and got the section truly off the ground.

Simply put, our job in the Association is to try our best to make policing the best it can be in Illinois. This is not easy, as the state is so diverse, and the policing needs are equally diverse. But we serve the State, and it is important to remember that while a large population resides in the city of Chicago and the suburbs, we also represent police chiefs from Metropolis to Zion, and from Moline to Lawrenceville.

Our job in the Association is also to focus on the future and try to anticipate the challenges we might face. So, what does the future hold, and what are those challenges? I was recently asked that question, and I gave it some real thought.

Now you could say that recruitment and retention are challenging, and they are, but I also know that hiring the right people has always been a challenge. We may have fewer people applying now, but just because we used to have a larger pool, didn’t mean that we always hired the right people.

But there is also a litany of other things such as:

· Technology

· Use of force

· Training

· Social media (including influencers, YouTubers, and podcasters)

· The public trust & public expectations

· New employees’ expectations

· And of course, artificial intelligence – The best quote I read about AI is that “It seems to know everything, but it doesn’t understand a thing.”

My conclusion is that while each of these may be difficult for us, the most challenging thing for us in the future is really our own failure of imagination.

In order to prepare for the future, we need to be able to imagine far into the future. Who is going to take our places? What about all the other people in the organization that will retire someday? Are we preparing the next generation to be ready to take over?

Policing is a very proud profession. We are one of the few jobs that require an oath to be taken before you can attend the training academy. And as a profession, police officers believe in, and defend the rule of law. Loyalty to our oaths is what guides us, and gives us direction when times are difficult. Officers need to be loyal to their oaths, loyal to the Constitution, and loyal to their communities. Because to be any other way would be dangerous for our profession.

To that point we also need to remember that we are stronger together. This association builds on that concept, as well as leaving a legacy. We know that every day we need to make sure we are building systems that can be sustained long after we leave.

So, the takeaway is to remember to take care of your people, treasure your family, and do your best to love Illinois. It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your president over the next year. Thank you.

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