Marengo Police Chief Richard Solarz to retire

After 29 years in law enforcement, Marengo Police Chief Richard Solarz has decided it is time to retire.

In a letter posted Tuesday on the city of Marengo's Facebook page, Solarz said his last day will be May 10.

Although the job can often be extremely dangerous and thankless, Solarz commended the work of law enforcement to put all of that aside to be there for the public when called upon.

"Working alongside the brave and devoted officers and non sworn personnel of the Marengo Police Department has truly been an honor that I will take with me for a lifetime," Solarz said. "The men and women of the Marengo Police Department represent all that is good with this profession; I know they will continue to be the guardians for the citizens of this great community."

Solarz was named as Marengo Police Chief in 2016 after 24 years with the department. Prior to that, he served as a McHenry County Sheriff's Office deputy from 1990-93.

He said he has been proud to call Marengo is home for the last 26 years and was honored to have the opportunity to serve and protect the community.

"If you happen to be out on a lake down South and see someone wearing a Marengo Police ball cap and they’re cursing at the fish that just got off the line, feel free to pull up and say hi," Solarz said.