New police chief for the village of Frankfort

Frankfort police Sgt. Leanne Bender-Chelepis was sworn into office as the new police chief at Monday’s village board meeting, a news release from the village said.

The Frankfort village board had voted unanimously to approve a new police chief at its regularly scheduled board meeting on Monday, the release said.

Bender-Chelepis was selected after interviews with three internal candidates for the post, the release said. She replaces outgoing police chief John Burica. He was appointed as assistant village administrator in July.

“We wanted a leader from within the department,” Frankfort mayor Keith Ogle said in the release. “And we were fortunate that all three internal candidates were exceptional.”

Bender-Chelepis began her law enforcement career as a patrol officer in 2002. Through her 19 years with the Frankfort police depart, she rose to the rank of special services sergeant and oversaw “crucial units within the police agency,” the release said. Duties included “investigations, school resource officer, patrol and neighborhood patrol officers,” the release said.

The Frankfort Kiwanis Club named Bender-Chelepis its Police Officer of the Year in 2015, the release said.

The release said Bender-Chelepis is currently completing her master’s in public administration. She lives in Frankfort with her husband and three children.