Sycamore Deputy Police Chief Jim Winters recommended for promotion

SYCAMORE – The city of Sycamore could have a new police chief as soon as Monday.

City Manager Brian Gregory said Tuesday that he will recommend Deputy Chief Jim Winters for approval as Sycamore police chief during the City Council meeting.

Mayor Curt Lang said council members will discuss the proposed appointment during the meeting, and if they vote to approve Winters, he will be sworn in, and Sycamore then would have its next police chief.

Former Chief Glenn Theriault resigned in early June, almost two months after an incident in which an Elgin police officer, whom Theriault knew, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and later released without charges after Theriault was alerted.

The city hired Lansing-based REM Management Services to investigate the incident, and on June 5, the council approved an agreement releasing Theriault from any liability as a result of his employment with the city.

The agreement also provided Theriault with three months’ salary, four months’ insurance benefits and almost another three months’ worth of pay for unused sick, vacation and compensatory time. Theriault earned more than $110,000 a year as chief, and was on paid administrative leave during the investigation.

Winters assumed the duties of chief during Theriault’s investigation and the subsequent search for a replacement.

Gregory said that in lieu of searching for external candidates and assembling a selection committee, he decided to recommend Winters for the promotion.

If his appointment is approved, Winters will get a pay raise of about $10,830. The police chief receives an annual salary of $115,308, while the deputy chief’s annual salary is $104,478, Gregory said.

Winters’ experience includes more than 27 years in law enforcement, with the majority of his career spent with the Illinois State Police, where he was a lieutenant colonel before joining the Sycamore Police Department.

“Jim has strong leadership and has proven that in his time as acting chief,” Gregory said. “He has a philosophy of helping others fulfill their potential.”

Lang said he was not involved in the search process, but he and the council will have to approve or deny Gregory’s appointment.

“We need a leader who is going to serve our town well, who can promote the safety of our citizens and lead our police force,” Lang said, “someone who is community-minded that can keep us united and keep us on task.”

Lang said the new police chief also will need to have goals for the position and be able to work with the council and city staff, as well as police in Sycamore’s surrounding communities.

Lang said that although he is not inclined to endorse any particular candidate at this time, he has witnessed Winters rise to the challenge of his added responsibilities.

“He was put in an unusual situation, but he has worked through it,” Lang said.

Since Winters has taken over as acting chief, Sycamore has seen major incidents, such as a false emergency alarm triggered at Sycamore High School; the homicide of DeKalb resident Lidia Juarez, who was found dead in her car outside of her Sycamore workplace; and an armed robbery at the downtown Sycamore 7-Eleven.

“Our police force have done a great job keeping us safe in our community,” Lang said. “I look forward to new leadership doing the same.”

The council meets at 7 p.m. Monday in the City Council chambers of the Sycamore Center, 308 W. State St.