Lake in the Hills police chief announces upcoming retirement

After 29 years of service, Lake in the Hills Police Chief David Brey plans to retire in July, the village announced in a news release.

Deputy Chief Mary Frake was selected by Village President Russ Ruzanski and Village President-elect Ray Bogdanowski to replace Brey, allowing “ample time for a transitional period before his departure,” according to the village.

Frake has worked for the village for 27 years and was selected from an internal list of highly qualified candidates, according to the release.

Brey, who has been chief since 2014, joined the village in 1992. He was promoted to sergeant in 2001, sergeant of investigations in 2003 and deputy chief in 2006.

As chief, he has instituted a “complete revision of the department’s use-of-force policy and training,” one of the highest-risk and most scrutinized police interventions, according to the release.

The department used the National Consensus Policy on Use-of-Force as an outline to update its policies and training protocols, according to the release. The new policy and training focused on emphasizing de-escalation techniques, the use-of-force continuum and less lethal force options.

Under Brey, the department also adopted the Ten Shared Principles developed by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois NAACP, which are designed to bridge mistrust between the police and communities of color, according to the release.

“I am extremely grateful to Chief Brey for his many accomplishments and dedication to our community. He was often seen at community events, including volunteering to help raise funds for our Veterans Memorial at every opportunity,” Ruzanski said in the release. “Our residents have depended on his services, and through his leadership and his devotion to our safety, we have felt secure and watched over each and every day. I thank him for his support and wish him well in retirement.”

Frake is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and Northwestern University’s Police Staff and Command. She holds a degree in criminal justice from Columbia College.

Frake began her career with the village in 1994 and has held the roles of officer, detective, sergeant and deputy chief.

She was a founding team member of the McHenry County Major Investigations Assistance Team, serving as an investigator and co-commander for 13 years. She also led the department’s team in obtaining its first accreditation through the Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation program.

“Deputy Chief Frake is a talented leader who is deeply dedicated to the men and women of Lake in the Hills,” Bogdanowski said in the release. “I remember first interviewing her as a police officer when I served on the police commission and am honored that we have come full circle to select her as the next chief of police.

“She strives for excellence, and I’m confident that Lake in the Hills will remain one of the safest communities in the area under her watch. I look forward to working with her.”

An official swearing-in ceremony will take place in July after Brey’s retirement.