McHenry County Conservation District hires new police chief

The McHenry County Conservation District board recently named Laura King of Johnsburg the district’s new police chief.

King began in her role in January, and she previously worked for the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office, according to a news release. Before that, she spent 20 years with the McHenry Police Department.

“Her knowledge and law enforcement skills, experience and understanding of current law enforcement trends combined with her vision for the future of law enforcement make her a tremendous asset to the Conservation District team,” Executive Director Elizabeth Kessler said in a statement.

King replaced Jeff Diedrick, who retired after serving in the position for 15 years. King is the third chief since the department was established in 1986.

McHenry County Conservation District police patrol the district’s 25,500 acres across the county, according to the release.

“The department’s primary goal is to make a difference in the lives of people who enjoy spending time outdoors by providing a safe environment and by enriching the communities they serve,” according to the release. “The highly successfully and effective measures that have been put into place by the McHenry County [Conservation District] police department have provided positive outdoor experiences to the nearly 1 million annual visitors.”