April 26, 2023
Annual Awards Banquet of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police
Tinley Park, Illinois
Thank you all for attending tonight. Want to start by acknowledging some folks in attendance.
I want to thank Kevin Shaughnessy, who had my job before me, for making the department a state-of-the-art operation and always being available to ensure a smooth transition. And for always being available when I put the arm on him to handle things like he did tonight.
Mayor Egofske, VA George Schafer, and the trustees (Rick Sniegowski, Kevin Shaughnessy - I didn’t recruit him. It was his idea). Like all of us on the Board, we appreciate allowing us the time to devote to larger policing issues through involvement in this organization.
Senator John Curran for being a friend of law enforcement and doing what he can to blunt the craziness in Springfield. He’s on our side.
My police commission; Chairman Brian Cunningham, Matt Brady, and Cliff Miklos.
My family, sons, Mom, brother, [and] my Dad, who passed a few years ago. He never steered me into law enforcement but always made a point to introduce me to Chicago cops in the neighborhood, he hated bullies, and he taught my brother sister and me to stick up for those who couldn’t stick up for themselves. That is why all his children became and retired from police work.
Staff - Thad, Dan, and Judy - make it easy to devote so much time to legislation because they keep the shop running.
The ILACP staff for putting on such a flawless conference. They’re a staff of four that does the work of 30. I think Kenny Winslow is a great executive director for the Association and glad we grabbed him for the job.
John Millner our lobbyist and also past president. John and I talk almost daily from January to June. I think his installation was the first banquet I attended. Thanks for sticking with us John.
I echo Kenny’s appreciation for all the vendors and sponsors of this conference. Without our private partners, we wouldn’t be able to have this conference.
I have been fortunate to be on the Board of Directors for many great organizations.
We have the Board of Officers from IDEOA where I have been on the board since 1994 and President Kevin Winslow and Exec Dir Vic Markowski.
I have been on the Board of ILHIA since 2015, their board of directors is here tonight, [including] Executive Director Brian Williams, President Matt Gainer, [and] Treasurer Jim Winters, who is my confidant and friend.
The Illinois Security Professionals Board Chairman Larry Doria and Executive Director Dennis Gano are here. I joined their board a few years ago.
Our pro-bono attorneys, Don Zoufal, Jill Leka, and Yvette Heintzelman, we are fortunate for their friendship and the tireless work they do for the organization.
Thanks for coming for this, folks. I appreciate it.
I want to recognize a couple of other folks in attendance tonight.
You saw the video with several of my former bosses. A couple are here. Jeremy Margolis, who became director shortly after I was hired. Thanks for coming. Hiram Grau, my direct boss for several years, I enjoyed working for him (and in 4 years never saw him lose his cool.) Director Leo Schmitz was coming in when I was leaving. He and I had dinner last week and I told him that every time I talk to him, I feel like joining the Marines.
One of my Academy classmates is here tonight. Pete Hwang and I entered the Illinois State Police Academy 38 years ago this week, Guess it was a long time ago because Pete is old. He was the oldest guy in the class and I was the youngest. He had been a Joliet cop for 7 years. He called me kid.
My good friend Terry Lemming. He and I have worked together for 25 years. Terry, I, and Mark Piccoli, who is also at the table, lived together for several years when we were assigned down to headquarters. It was like an adult frat house. You get to know a lot about people when live with them.
Terry talked me into applying for the Lemont job 10 years ago, and one day a few years ago I got a call and he and Craig Allen were on the line and talked me into running for this position. Terry handled the pipers and honor guard tonight. Thanks, Terry.
I want to welcome Parliamentarian Bob Porter to the Board. Bob has been my ironman since I joined Lemont. Bob is usually my first call when I encounter anything new because he’s been a chief for a long time. It's why I wanted him on the board. Glad he’s still around for another year.
Last, want to acknowledge my friend and mentor Larry Mulcrone.
Larry was a giant among men. He recruited me into DuPage MEG when I was 23 years old, along with Mike Cooke who has become a lifelong friend of mine and treated Mike and me like his sons. I know it sounds cliché to say that he treated me like a son, but I mean that literally. I worked under him in various commands in many different assignments.
He would call me on my birthday, He would yell at me when I disappointed him, but he always looked out for me. I’ll give you an example, the first time I was eligible to take the first captain's test I didn’t sit for it, and he didn’t find out until the list came out and my name wasn’t on it. He called me up and I thought he was going to lecture about testing experience, but that’s not how the conversation went. He was really mad at me. He told me I was selfish, that it’s not about my ambitions but about the organization [and] the organization’s needs are.
I learned a life lesson that day, one that I have since applied to every organization I have been part of since. From that point on I never pushed back on assignments. I think that surprised Director Grau the first time he asked me to take a new position, and he had a whole speech prepared and I stopped him and said, “If that’s what’s best for the department then I’m in.”
Each year a bunch of other folks that Larry mentored get together at Gaelic Park and toast under a photo of Larry. Larry’s best friend Dan McDevitt has stepped into Larry’s shoes as our Patriarch. So please raise your glasses and I want to make a toast to the memory of Larry. Slainte.
Thank you, I miss him dearly and wish he was here for this.
Larry sponsored me for this organization in 1998. I was a Lieutenant and he told me you need to get to know these chiefs socially and more importantly, they need to get to know you. You oversee their units and when things go wrong they’ll give you the benefit of the doubt if they know you. In 2001 he had Bob Jones appointed me as a committee chair and executive board member, where I have served ever since.
I’ve seen a lot of evolution in the organization. During that time had the privilege to serve under a lot of great presidents like Gary Schira, Ray Rose, Russ Laine, John Millner, Joe Pena, Bob Porter, Frank Kaminski, and Jim Kruger to name a few and I am honored to step into the role behind their legacy.
For the chiefs and sheriffs that are here, I thank you for taking a Friday night away. I salute you for continuing to fight the good fight and for protecting their folks. It’s no small effort to keep your folks motivated nowadays, your departments staffed, and continuing to do work quite frankly, because in this last session, they’ve tried to stop even that. Working in this climate has been no easy task.
Yesterday I was on the way back here listening to the radio and they were talking about the tragic slaying of Officer Luis Huesca and the arrangements this coming Monday. One commentator mentioned how good of a guy they’re saying he was, and the second one said, “Yeah, the police aren’t all bad. “WE’RE NOT ALL BAD.”
When did the police become the bad guys? Shame on the American public for buying into this false narrative peddled by socialists.
Our organization. Our industry. We need to Stop the Retreat.
Because the legislative agenda just keeps getting worse. Every year we think the worst is over, and they JUST KEEP COMING. They’re trying to make an America where we can’t be safe. Who wants that?
Everybody in this profession has dedicated their entire adult lives to keeping their communities safe. That’s the task, that’s the job. We are not now nor have ever been the bad guys. Shame on people for exploiting events and making cops feel otherwise.
I want to close by mentioning some of the initiatives of our Board of Officers for 2024.
OPERATIONAL
Operation Rescues Endangered Children: September 17-19
Anti-theft technology initiative with the Auto manufacturers. Attorney General Kwame Raoul is on board.
ADMINISTRATIVE
Civilian Appreciation Week: 1st Full Week of June
Traffic Stop Study Summit
STRUCTURAL
Resurrect Committee of Illinois Large Agencies
There’s been a lot of discussion the last three days on updating the organization's by-laws and I’m going to ask the Executive Board to get together more frequently this year to do a deep dive and recommend an update.
Last, I want to thank my board for the time commitment they make on behalf of the organization. Thank you all for coming.
