Joliet hires new police chief and inspector general

Joliet has hired a former Cook County Sheriff’s lieutenant as its new police chief and contracted with a Westmont attorney to serve as the city’s inspector general.

The city plans to announce on Wednesday that Willam Evans, who was with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office for nearly 25 years, is the city’s new police chief.

Evans most recent experience with the sheriff’s department was as a lieutenant and area watch commander for the southern portion of Cook County, according to information from the city.

Evans’ experience noted by city officials includes leading SWAT assignments and training. He was head coach of the Cook County Sheriff’s boxing program.

Evans was an unsuccessful candidate for Cook County sheriff in 2014.

According to the city, he has recent experience with the U.S. Department of Defense at the National Security Agency and also in corporate training and management.

Evans’ Linkedin page lists him as a “security professional.”

Robert Brown currently is serving as interim chief after City Manager James Capparelli demoted former Chief Dawn Malec in October. Malec was named chief in January 2021.

Evans will become the Joliet’s fourth police chief in less than four years since the retirement of Brian Benton in August 2018. Benton was followed by Al Roechner, who left in January 2021.

Sean P. Connolly will become the city’s inspector general following his approval Tuesday by the City Council.

The inspector general is overseen by the mayor and has authority to investigate complaints about city officials and employees as well as contractors doing business with the city.

Connolly, appointed by Mayor Bob O’Dekirk, was approved in a 7-1 vote that was preceded by questions from council members who apparently knew little about the appointment.

“Are we going to have any information about him?” asked Pat Mudron who voted against the appointment.

The city has yet to complete an agreement with Connolly for his services and no contract was presented to the council.

Capparelli discussed Connolly’s background, noting he had done work for the city and is serving in the U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocates General Corps (JAG) as an attorney.

“He’s fully qualified,” Capparelli said. “He’s done this before in the military.”

Connolly’s firm is the Connolly Law Office.

He was appointed by O’Dekirk in May as a special inspector general for the city to investigate missing video from outside cameras that recorded activity outside the Joliet Police Station during the arrest of Eric Lurry. Lurry died while in police custody from what authorities determined to be a drug overdose.

Capparelli did not specify Connolly’s previous work for the city to the council but told them, “The report was excellent.”