HOLIDAY HILLS – A debate between process and preference has clouded the future of the Holiday Hills police chief position.
After Village President Dan Drury hand-picked interim Chief Tony Colatorti one day after former Chief Larry Mason resigned in July, Colatorti has received positive feedback from the community, officials and professional peers.
But board members who were caught off guard by Mason's resignation and Colatorti's swift appointment are pushing for a more exhaustive effort that would include advertising the position to find a permanent chief.
Trustee Ken Anderson said while he has no complaints about Colatorti's performance, he took issue with the selection process and believed the village should make the decision "the American way."
"I think everybody just wants to have an idea to see who is available and make a decision from there," Anderson said. "We might stay with what we have, but people would like to have a choice. I wanted it to go through the proper channels to begin with."
But the call for a broader search has some longtime residents concerned it is a political maneuver to remove Colatorti because of tension between trustees and Drury.
Louis French, a Holiday Hills resident of 27 years and former board member, has started a petition to encourage the board to name Colatorti as the permanent chief. French said he has heard nothing but positive feedback on Colatorti's performance and believes he could have as many as 75 percent of residents sign the petition by the next board meeting on Nov. 17.
French also noted Colatorti received a letter of recognition from McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren for the assistance during a daylong manhunt for Scott Peters – the man charged with shooting two county deputies – on Oct. 16.
"It has never ran as smoothly as it is now," French said of the village's police department. "[Board members] say they don't have an issue with him, yet they are fixated on him at every meeting. We need to move on to other issues. What's our snow plan this year? What if we have a winter like last year?"
Twelve-year resident Donald Powell echoed French's support and said Colatorti has engaged the community more than any previous chief. He said officers are out on patrol more because of reduced administrative duties, revenue streams such as tow fees are being collected, and officers and Colatorti have made efforts to participate in community events.
"We're a small village and we just need to get back to the basics," Powell said. "I don't understand why there is all this political tension. [Colatorti] has been a great chief."
As the village prepares to potentially advertise for the position, Drury said he would be open to entertaining candidates but still struggles to see the desire in pursuing a new chief.
"I haven't heard anything negative about him from anyone," Drury said. "I'm not going to not look at other options if that's what people want, but I do not see a reason to rush."