University Park OKs next police chief
Board approves hiring Hazel Crest deputy chief pending background check
The University Park Village Board voted 5-2 during a special meeting Thursday to hire Hazel Crest deputy police Chief Dale Mitchell as police chief after interviewing three candidates in closed session.
Trustees Sonia Jenkins-Bell and Theo Brooks, both candidates for mayor in the April election, voted against hiring Mitchell.
Jenkins-Bell said while Mitchell is qualified she was disappointed the three finalists were all men.
“He is very qualified. They brought some qualified individuals, but with zero gender diversity,” Jenkins-Bell said.
Brooks, a retired police officer, said he voted against hiring Mitchell because he believes former police Chief Deborah Wilson was wrongfully terminated. The board did not discuss when Mitchell would start, pending a background check or a contract, he said.
“I know all three candidates. I like Dale Mitchell a lot, he’s my brother in blue,” Brooks said. “Wilson should not have been terminated.”
Mayor Joseph Roudez did not return phone calls, but issued a statement saying Mitchell has more than 30 years of experience in municipal policing. Mitchell is the chairperson of the South Suburban Association of Chiefs of Police legislative committee and a member of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police legislative committee, Roudez said.
Roudez also stated he was upset with Brooks and Jenkins-Bell voting against the hiring.
“Public safety is my top priority and should be a top priority for this entire Board. The fact that these two trustees, who are running for mayor, voted against bringing on a police chief is in my opinion reckless, compromising the safety of this community and its residents and based solely for their personal political agendas,” Roudez said.
Mitchell didn’t return calls for comment Friday.
Wilson was placed on leave Dec. 16, 2021, following an incident at the village-owned University Park Golf Club. A Will County grand jury indicted golf club manager Sonia Coffee on charges of aggravated battery to a police officer and resisting arrest for allegedly attacking Wilson. A trial is scheduled for Feb. 3.
During the roughly 20-minute public portion of the meeting, three residents expressed their concern about Wilson’s termination.
Resident Gina Williams said she was upset to be at a meeting where a new police chief was being considered when the village “had a qualified, wonderful, first Black” police chief.
“Our crime has gone up since she’s been put on disciplinary action or leave or whatever you want to call it,” Williams said.
Resident Mildred Morgan told trustees Wilson “was not even terminated in the right way.”
Morgan criticized Trustees Janelle McFadden, Karen Lewis, Shirley Bolding and Donzell Franklin for voting in line with whatever Roudez, who is running for reelection, desires for the village.
“I’ve often said, so many times, if the question come up ‘Does he walk on water?’ you would say aye, aye, aye, aye,” Morgan said.
Jenkins-Bell asked village manager Elizabeth Scott to explain the search process and why there was a rush to hire a police chief.
Scott said she posted the position through South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association, the Illinois Municipal League and the village’s website. Ultimately, 11 candidates applied for the position and Scott selected three candidates for the board to consider, she said.
The three candidates all work for law enforcement agencies in south suburban municipalities, Scott said.
“I was very pleasantly surprised because I think that we had a decent pool of candidates,” Scott said.
Scott said when she began as village manager in July, one of her priorities was to start the hiring process. The position was posted for all of November and Scott said she conducted interviews in December and early January.
Scott said she interviewed the candidates alone and looked for certain qualifications. The former police chief did not posses those “certain qualifications,” Scott said.
“I think that a police chief ’s position is vital for the safety of this community and for the vibrancy of this community,” Scott said. “I wanted to include the board in the three people that I thought stood out among those candidates so that I could get your input.”
Brooks said the dynamics of the village can change in April as the election is held and Scott’s contract potentially expires, so the board should wait to hire a police chief.
Jenkins-Bell then made a motion to table the discussion and vote for 90 days. The board voted against the motion and then went into executive session.
Each candidate waited in his respective car during executive session because the Village Hall is one large room. After about 45 minutes of discussion in executive session, each candidate received about an hour in front of the board.