Mokena Officials Extend Interim Police Chief's Stay Another 6 Months

Mokena IL

31 January, 2022

12:41 PM

Description

By Jon DePaolis, Richard Free Press: MOKENA, Ill. — Mokena Interim Chief of Police Brian Benton is sticking around for at least another six months. But that is not to say it may not last a lot longer. Benton's appointment as interim chief was extended by a 6-0 vote Monday, Jan. 24, during the Village of Mokena Board of Trustees meeting. "Believe it or not, Chief Benton's six months are going to be over at the end of February," Mayor Frank Fleischer said to the board members prior to the vote. "It is my recommendation to reappoint the chief for [an additional] six months." In a phone interview on Thursday, Jan. 27, Fleischer commented on how valuable Benton has been for the Village and what the status is regarding the search for a permanent police chief. Fleischer said he and the Village Board were more actively engaging in a search for a permanent police chief to replace John Keating, who resigned in August 2021. However, when Benton became available to take over as interim chief, that allowed the Village to focus on finding replacements for other key positions. "I knew that when I came back to elected office that there was going to be a big turnover," Fleischer said. "That was one of the reasons I wanted to come back. If you look at the Village of Mokena [staff], almost everybody is new." But the mayor said the Village did not want to fill positions just because they were open. "We took a while to get these department heads, and now we are in the process of getting [other key roles filled]," he said. "We had all this stuff going on, and then a fellow like Benton falls into our lap. That's a no-brainer to me. So, we brought him onboard. We need him another six months, because [certain positions still are not filled]. I haven't talked to anybody [about the permanent chief role], because Benton's done such a great job." Fleischer said Benton is on the committee that is working on the new police department facility. "He's a fantastic chief; he's doing a great job," Fleischer said. "Think about the knowledge he has. He was police chief in the second-largest city in Illinois. This man was on the SWAT team in Joliet. He worked his way up through the ranks, from police officer to every position that was in Joliet. He knows and respects police work. He respects officers, and they respect him. He's a no-nonsense person. He doesn't get too excited or too low, and he's a professional who knows how to do his job." And with that all in mind, Fleischer said he would consider Benton for the permanent role if interested when those conversations pick back up. "We'd be foolish not to [consider him]," Fleischer said. "He definitely will be considered." As for when those conversations may start to happen again, Fleischer said an ideal time-frame would be in lockstep with the completion of the police facility later this year. Richard Free Press is a one-stop destination for the news that most affects you, the southwest suburban resident. Be an informed citizen of the town you live in and love.