Genoa Police Chief Solar leaves his mark

GENOA – Not long ago, a Genoa woman told acting Police Chief Ty Lynch she would never call the Genoa Police Department for help. But Lynch told her about the department’s standards and certification from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement – things that were important to retiring Chief Patrick Solar.

After Lynch talked with the woman, she assured him she would turn to the local police department from then on.

"That's largely due to policies, procedures and CALEA accreditation that Pat wanted us to go through," Lynch said.

At Solar's retirement party Friday in Genoa City Council chambers, officers from departments throughout the county wished Solar well and commented on the high level of professionalism he brought to the department. He spent almost eight years as the department's chief.

Under Solar, the Genoa Police Department was the first agency in DeKalb County to become certified by CALEA in 2005, said Lynch, who will officially replace Solar on Sept. 1. And Genoa was the first city or village in the county to have a K9 department, City Administrator Joe Misurelli said.

Solar was a lieutenant with the Sycamore Police Department for more than 20 years before becoming chief in Genoa in 2003. He also is president of the board of directors for the Genoa Chamber of Commerce and strives to better the community, Misurelli said.

When asked why he was retiring, Solar said policing today is a young man's game.

"I'm finding that I can't leap tall buildings in a single bound anymore," Solar said, grinning.

Solar said he takes pride in the CALEA accreditation because it's a process of professional recognition that was a team effort on the part of the department.

"Probably the department-wide accomplishment I'm most proud of is the CALEA accreditation. That takes a lot of work," Solar said.

Solar has done some teaching at the university level and plans to continue in education, specifically working with others on non-verbal communication and how it relates to job-seekers.

"Beyond that, I'm just relaxing," he said.

Misurelli said the city council on July 20 approved Mayor Todd Walker's recommendation of making Lynch Solar's replacement.

"Ty was in-house and people were very comfortable with the job he was doing as acting chief," Misurelli said.

Choosing Lynch as the next police chief is a compliment to Solar and the development within the department, Misurelli said. Walker agreed, and said nurturing potential replacements was one of Solar's strengths.

"Pat did that, and that's extremely important," Walker said.

Lynch said he can't point to the most influential thing Solar taught him, but said it's a combination of things over the years.

"It was the subtle things that he'd tell you," about budgeting, discipline and policies, Lynch said. "I think the one big thing that he taught me is the patience it takes to be chief."

DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott said Solar enhanced the professionalism of the Genoa department.

"We call each other and exchange ideas," Scott said. "He's done a good job up there, and he'll be missed."

Solar called the retirement party "very gratifying."

"I've been part of the community for 30 years. You never know what people think about you until it comes to a time like this," he said.

"This is very nice."