Streator taps former Chicago Police Cmdr. John Franklin as its new chief

Retired Chicago Police Department Cmdr. John Franklin was appointed Streator’s new police chief, effective Sept. 1.

He succeeds former Police Chief Robert Turner, who retired from the Streator Police Department on June 26. Deputy Chief Robert Wood had been handling chief duties in an interim basis.

Franklin was one of five finalists for the position and one of about a dozen candidates who submitted resumes, said City Manager David Plyman.

In addition to Franklin’s 28 years on the Chicago Police Department, he has served as police chief in the Chicago suburb of Dolton, which has a population of 21,426, and the Little Rock, Arkansas suburb of Jacksonville, which has a population of 28,364. He also served as an adjunct professor in criminal justice at Daley College from 2011 to 2018.

Franklin is working in security at Blue Star Security, Inc. in Des Plaines, which handles security for a synagogue and five-star restaurants, among other organizations and businesses.

Franklin told The Times in a phone interview Tuesday he had a desire to get back into small-town policing and saw the Streator job opening as an opportunity, making his first visit to the city for his interview with Plyman, Mayor Tara Bedei and a a police administrator from Pontiac who was serving on the hiring team.

“I enjoy small-town policing because it is easier for leadership to connect,” Franklin said, noting he joined community organizations while serving as chief in Arkansas. “In a large city, by the time your message gets to officers, it gets watered down through the ranks.”

Franklin said his first goal will be to set up a succession plan for the city’s department. Acknowledging he likely will serve no more than about three to four years in Streator, he said he wants to identify leadership within the department and prepare them to take on bigger roles.

The newly-hired chief also said he wants to acquire body-worn cameras for the department, saying the need is long overdue.

“We need to get that off the ground,” he said. “Cameras are a necessary piece of police equipment and they protect an officer, just as much as they protect residents.”

By 2025, police departments in Illinois will be required to wear body-worn cameras. Franklin said with body-worn cameras, he can examine the merit of citizens’ complaints, which he said have been unfounded at times after review of the footage.

Franklin also said he wants to take a hands-on approach to policing.

“If I’m passing one of my officers on a traffic stop, I’ll be their back up,” Franklin said. “Not only does it give me an opportunity to see them, but also I would feel terrible if something ever happened to them on that call.”

Franklin said he understands police work has been a hard sell for recruits, but he said he wants to build up the position.

During an interview with another community downstate, Franklin said he was asked about his experience on Chicago’s department, including his thoughts about the Laquan McDonald murder case, in which a Black youth who was fatally shot by a white Chicago police officer. Franklin said he has to remind people he’s been away from the department for more than a decade and wasn’t on staff at the time.

“I was shocked and appalled like everyone else,” Franklin added to the conversation, regarding his thoughts on the case.

From 1982, Franklin rose through the ranks at the Chicago Police Department as a patrol/tactical officer, sergeant, lieutenant and commander. He was assigned to lead numerous investigative teams, including carjackings, drug enforcement, high risk entry team, and area gun and gang teams. He also was assigned to direct the operations of the Chicago police special functions section, which consisted of the following units: SWAT, mounted equine, marine and helicopter, K-9, animal crimes investigations and dignitary protection.

Franklin earned a bachelors degree in speech/media communications from Northeastern Illinois University and a masters degree in social/criminal justice from Lewis University. He is a graduate of Northwestern University’s police staff and command school and the Chicago Police Department’s executive development program.

Under the city manager form of government, the city manager appoints department heads. Plyman said he appointed Franklin to lead the Streator Police Department because Franklin has a track record of leading police officers. At one time, he commanded more than 300 officers in Chicago. Plyman said Franklin is experienced in all facets of law enforcement and is committed to serving Streator in a professional and ethical manner.

“There isn’t much he hasn’t experienced in his career, which made him a really attractive candidate,” Plyman said, noting each of the five finalists were all qualified to become Streator’s next chief. “We are excited about the opportunity for him to bring the department up to the next level.”