May 19, 2024
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New Joliet police chief, but deputy chiefs likely to stay

William Evans is expected to arrive as police chief on March 1

By Bob Okon
William Evans was named the next Joliet police chief on Feb. 16, 2022. He is expected to start March 1.

William Evans was named the next Joliet police chief on Feb. 16, 2022. He is expected to start March 1. (Provided photo)

A new chief appears be the only change at the top in the Joliet Police Department.

The city on Wednesday announced that William Evans, a retired lieutenant from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, will be the next police chief.

Evans is expected to start March 1.

He will be the fourth Joliet police chief in less than four years and follows Dawn Malec who was demoted in October after being in the position for 10 months.

Joliet Chief of Police Dawn Malec listens to the State of the City address on Monday, March 22, 2021, at Joliet Holiday Inn in Joliet, Ill. Mayor Bob O'Dekirk delivered his annual State of the City address to the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Former Joliet Police Chief Dawn Malec (Geoff Stellfox - gstellfox@shawmedia.com)

But the police department apparently will have much the same command staff as it did when Malec became chief in January 2021.

City Manager James Capparelli, who demoted Malec and hired Evans, did not return calls concerning the future of the command staff but did respond with a text.

“I don’t anticipate any changes,” Capparelli said.

If so, Robert Brown, who served as interim chief after Malec was demoted and who was favored by some City Council members for the chief job, will stay as deputy chief of operations.

Interim Police Chief Robert Brown speaking at a City Council committee meeting in November. (Gary Middendorf/The Herald-News)

The command staff was overhauled when Malec became chief.

Evans will come to the city from Strategic Security Solutions, a private firm in Chicago that provides investigative and security services.

His position is director of operations, according to information provided by the city.

Evans did not return a call to Strategic Security Solutions seeking an interview.

According to the city, Evans retired from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office in 2016. At the time, he was a lieutenant and area watch commander who supervised sergeants and patrol officers in the southern section of Cook County.

He also was an unsuccessful candidate for Cook County Sheriff in 2014.

According to the city, Evans worked for the National Security Agency division of the U.S. Department of Defense in counterintelligence from 2016 to 2017 before joining Strategic Security Solutions.

“I am tremendously honored to be selected as Joliet’s chief of police,” Evans said in the news release issued by the city to announce his hiring. “I look forward to creating new relationships and being part of this community. I am hoping I can influence our rank-and-file members to be the very best version of themselves.”

The city did not wait for the new chief to be hired to fill a vacancy in the command staff.

Deputy chiefs Robert Brown (left), Lt. Sherrie Blackburn (center) and Sgt. Carlos Matlock (right) seen in January 2021 before being sworn in to their positions on the police command staff. (Geoff Stellfox - gstellfox@shawmedia.com/Geoff Stellfox - gstellfox@shawmedia.com)

One signal that the command staff is not likely to change came at the Tuesday night meeting of the City Council when Brown introduced Lt. Chris Botzum as the new deputy chief of technical services. Botzum replaces Mike Batis who retired and was the only deputy chief to remain after Malec replaced Al Roechner as police chief.

The command staff also includes Deputy Chief of Administration Sherrie Blackburn and Deputy Chief of Investigations Carlos Matlock.