Embattled Campton Hills Police Chief Steven Millar resigns

CAMPTON HILLS – Campton Hills Police Chief Steven Millar, on paid leave since July 6, 2023, tendered his resignation Monday, according to an email and an official’s confirmation.

The Kane County Chronicle received a screen shot of an email sent to village officials at 1:58 p.m. Monday stating that Millar submitted his resignation, effective immediately as of Jan. 22.

“I wish Chief Millar the best in everything and want to personally thank him for his years of service in law enforcement, including the village of Campton Hills,” according to the email. “The resignation is a personal employment matter between Chief Millar and the village. No further comments will be made.”

The name of the sender was cropped out in what was provided to a reporter.

Trustee Timothy Morgan confirmed Millar resigned and that the email provided to the Chronicle was the official announcement of the resignation.

Morgan would not comment further.

Other officials were not available to respond to a request for a copy of the resignation letter.

Neither Millar nor his attorney responded to a voicemail.

The Chronicle has filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the letter.

Millar was hired as Campton Hills’ second police chief in May 2018 after the retirement of the village’s first chief, Daniel Hoffman.

Millar had been an officer at the village for five years before being named chief.

Village President Barbara Wojnicki appointed Sgt. James Levand as interim chief at the same time she put Millar on paid leave.

Millar being put on paid administrative leave was connected to an Illinois State Police investigation, which began May 25, 2023, with a search of the evidence room and an interview with Millar, officials said in the letter that put him on leave.

“Henceforth, effective July 6, 2023, you are hereby placed on paid administrative leave from your position as chief of police of the village of Campton Hills pending the outcome of the investigation by the Illinois State Police concerning potential criminal violations and misconduct that relate to your employment with the village,” according to the letter.

Later that month, Millar’s attorney, Matt McQuaid, released a statement that the leave and Illinois State Police probe were “attempts to assassinate his character and impugn his integrity.”

“Chief Millar is surprised and deeply disappointed with these unsubstantiated and politically motivated attempts to assassinate his character and impugn his integrity,” according to the statement released last year.

“In over 30 years as a law enforcement officer, Chief Millar has only selflessly served his community and protected its citizens,” according to the statement. “He welcomes an investigation into his service as Campton Hills police chief and has fully cooperated with any and all requests for information. He expects to be fully cleared of any wrongdoing.”

McQuaid would not answer any questions then and did not immediately respond to a voicemail message about Millar’s resignation.

Millar’s resignation follows months of drama at Village Hall. In September 2023, trustees voted to end the at-will employment of executive assistant Dorothea Stipetic and village administrator Denise Burchard, “effective immediately.”

Another ongoing drama is the continued efforts of Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser to remove Morgan as a trustee, citing a 2002 felony DUI conviction in Michigan.