BOURBONNAIS — Jim Phelps is retiring as police chief of Bourbonnais.
This time it is a full retirement.
At the Nov. 15 village board meeting, Mayor Paul Schore read Phelps’ retirement letter.
Phelps’ last official day leading the 29-member department is set for Feb. 4, 2025.
“After serving the past 36 years in law enforcement, I have decided that it is time for me to start the next chapter in my life,” Phelps wrote.
Phelps was named interim chief in October 2012, when Greg Kunce retired. Two months later, village trustees removed “interim” from the title.
When Kunce was named chief in 2011, Phelps was promoted to deputy chief.
“While I will miss the career that I have loved and the people that I have served with, I am very excited to begin spending more quality time with my wife and family, and to pursue hobbies and interests that I haven’t had time to participate in for many years.”
In December 2020, the 60-year-old Phelps retired as chief because of a glitch in the pension system.
After reaching the age of 55 and achieving 31 years of service, benefits could be reduced if he didn’t retire.
As a result, Phelps was no longer an employee of the village. Rather, he served as an independent contractor.
It is not an uncommon practice as other agencies have done the same.
“I’m not getting another pension,” Phelps said in a Daily Journal story from December 2020. “I cannot statutorily. There is no double-dipping. This is becoming commonplace with police organizations. Senior leadership in chiefs and executive officers are retiring en masse. This has been a problem for a while.”
Phelps has been with the Bourbonnais department for 36 years. Before joining Bourbonnais, Phelps worked as a deputy with the DeWitt County Sheriff’s Department for two years.
“Chief Phelps has had a very good career. It’s just time. The trustees and I appreciate the job he has done leading this department,” Schore said.
An interim chief will be in place in December.
With the mayoral election on April 1, an interim chief will likely be in place until after the election.
Schore said the hiring process would take longer, thus the interim chief.
“We’ve been very fortunate and had a series of good police chiefs. They have made this among the top departments in the area,” Schore said. “Now he has the time to spend with his family, and he and his wife, [Janet], want to do some traveling.”
Phelps is looking forward to spending time with his wife and their two adult children.
There are a few hobbies Phelps will be able to spend more time on. They include hiking in woods and mountains, leather working and gardening. He will also be restoring two antique tractors.
“I am very satisfied with the progress and advancements the Bourbonnais Police Department has made under my 12 years of leadership as chief of police, and I feel that we are the best trained, most professional police organization in the area,” Phelps said in his letter.
“We currently have a strong leadership team, and I am confident there will be a seamless transition upon my departure.”
Phelps wrote that he would like to thank Mayor Schore and the village board for their support over the years and for allowing me to run the department without interference or political influence, which is a rarity in today’s world.
https://daily-journal.com/news/local/bourbonnais_news/bourbonnais-police-chief-phelps-officially-retiring/article_37d13de2-ace8-11ef-bbdf-cb1f3e75ae24.html