Chief of the Year is Lemont's Marc MartonMarch 11, 2020
Maton was nominated for the award by several ILACP members, and he also had the strong endorsement of Lemont Village Administrator George Schafer. “Chief Maton has worked tirelessly in mentoring the men and women of the Lemont Police Department, and he provides a wealth of experience in all levels of law enforcement,” Schafer wrote, adding that Maton “has been a leader in utilizing technology to enhance the efficiency of our officers.” For the association, Maton chairs the Legislative Committee and works diligently to keep up with hundreds of bills that affect law enforcement. ILACP President Steven Stelter, chief in Indian Head Park, has high praise for Maton’s efforts. “I have seen firsthand the tireless work that is put in by Marc and the rest of the committee,” Stelter wrote. “I have been in meetings with the governor’s staff and legislators discussing legislation, and when Marc in present, it is comforting for me because he is truly the brains of the group and has all the answers when posed with questions from these people.” Not only does Maton lead the committee, but he also spent countless hours in the past year preparing the association for the new cannabis law. He was involved in negotiations of the bill in Springfield, and after it was signed, he was the lead trainer in four cities (Peoria, O’Fallon, Mokena, and Elgin). He also shaped the association’s public announcements, such as the lengthy Frequently Asked Questions on the ILACP website. Prior to becoming Legislative Committee chair, Maton was active on the committee and assisted in training on other critical issues, such as body cameras, use of force, and concealed carry. Chief Robert Porter of Huntley, who was ILACP president from 2012-2014, said that Maton was his “go-to person” on a variety of issues. For the Lemont Police Department, Maton achieved accreditation with the Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program, a testimony to the department’s high standards. In Lemont, Maton is very visible in his leadership role. He drove the haunted squad car on Halloween. He also created a Lock it or Lose it Campaign to combat burglaries, and the Lemont PD hosted a special needs student open house at the PD and also hosted a Kops-N-Kidz night in the summer. Maton has been chief in Lemont since 2015, and before that had an outstanding career in the Illinois State Police, retiring as a colonel. Maton has achieved the status of Certified Police Chief from the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, and he has served on numerous state and national boards, including:
Maton has a master’s degree in Law Enforcement Administration from Western Illinois University and a bachelor’s from Northwestern University. |
Marc Maton, Chief of Police in Lemont, Illinois, is the 2020 Chief of the Year, named by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, a 1,200-member organization. The award goes to a chief who excels in his or her own department and provides extraordinary service to the association. He will be recognized during the association’s annual conference on May 1 at the Hyatt Lodge in Oak Brook.