Police Chief Land wins Crown Point mayor job
Takes over for Uran, who moves on to new gig to lead SSCVA
Crown Point Police Chief Pete Land takes over as the city’s mayor Friday after he won a Thursday caucus of Crown Point Democrats.
“I’m very humbled, excited and emotional,” Land said after he was sworn into office by Lake County Circuit Court Judge Marissa McDermott.
Land said he first met one of the city’s mayors as a boy, was sworn in as a police officer by another, as chief by a third and served as chief under another mayor and then by exiting Mayor David Uran. The one thing all had in common was their dedication to the city.
“They all took the baton and moved it forward. I am grateful you all entrusted me with the baton, and I will do my due diligence to move it forward,” Land said.
Land will take over for Uran who begins his new role Friday as president and CEO of the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority.
Uran was chosen to head the SSCVA after a nationwide search for a new leader following former president and CEO Speros Batistatos ouster by the bureau’s board.
Jim Wieser, Lake County Democratic Central Committee chairman, said while people run for local office as Democrats or Republicans, once they win the seat, for many those labels no longer matter as they get down to doing the work of governing to move the community forward. Uran was one of those leaders, Wieser said.
“He is certainly one of those giants … who has taken a community and moved it to another level. I just want to say, ‘Thank you’,” Wieser said.
Land defeated 2nd District Councilwoman Dawn Stokes, the only other candidate to seek Uran’s seat by a 13-8 margin.
Crown Point has 22 precincts. Twenty-one of the precinct committeemen and committeewomen were on hand to partici
pate in the caucus in person or via proxy. The 22nd precinct committee member was absent and did not send a proxy, Wieser said.
Both Land and Stokes were born and raised in Crown Point and are raising their families in the city.
Prior to the vote, Land said he is focused on fiscal responsibility, keeping the community safe and smart management of what will be inevitable growth.
Land said he supports growth in the community so long as that growth does not outpace the city’s resources.
“I love the growth. I think we have to have good, controlled growth,” Land said.
As police chief he oversees the largest budget in the city at about $1.6 million and has been instrumental in bringing grants to the department to help return revenue to the general fund.
During his tenure as chief he also instituted community policing programs and has worked with the Crown Point Community Schools to place four resource offices on the campuses full time, two at the high school and one at each middle school. The school corporation pays for 70 percent of those officers’ salaries.
“If I am entrusted the honor, I will carry on the vision and path the mayor and leadership team and put on my own personal stamp,” Land said.
Stokes said she would continue to work to gain bipartisan support to move the vision of the city.
“We are truly here to shape the future of our city,” Stokes said.
The councilwoman said the caucus was not just about the next 18 months of the mayoral term, but also about fielding a candidate with the experience and ability to run a campaign and defeat a Republican challenger in the general election in 2023.
“I have the strength, motivation, passion and tenacity to continue the momentum put in place in the city of Crown Point,” Stokes said.
Land said the command staff at the police department had been briefed on how to proceed if he were to be chosen mayor. The department will move forward with the current command staff until the city council selects a new police chief.