EAST PEORIA, Ill. — East Peoria Police Department has a new leader.
City council appointed former Deputy Chief Richard Brodrick as Interim Police Chief during Tuesday night’s meeting.
Brodrick was actually sworn in Monday morning, but that was made official with Tuesday’s resolution passage.
Brodrick has served in the department for 20 years, the last nine of which have been spent as deputy chief.
“I’m real happy. I’ve known Rich for a long time, and I think he’ll do a great job,” said Commissioner Daniel Decker.
“I recognize this is a temporary appointment, but I’m hopeful for the day when it’s a permanent appointment.”
Mayor John Kahl said the council was hoping to make “some permanent decisions in the very near future,” saying Brodrick will be working with an all-new command staff, as a sergeant was promoted to deputy chief, and a temporary sergeant was sworn in, as well.
Kahl called Brodrick’s swearing-in a dawn of a new era.
“This city has gone outside for its police chief. And the message to that department yesterday was, that glass ceiling is gone,” he said.
“There’s a thing called loyalty. We have officers who have given 20-plus years of their life, protecting and serving this community, and the message shouldn’t be you’re good enough to reach the second spot, but not good enough to lead this department.
“That’s a terrible philosophy. Those days are behind us.”
Brodrick replaces Steven Roegge, who served as chief from March 1, 2019 through his resignation that took effect after Oct. 16, 2020.
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