Huntley Village President Charles Sass announced the hiring of a new police chief, Robert Porter, who will start in his new role this month. The appointment comes on the heels of the retirement of Chief John Perkins, who served with the Huntley Police Department for the past ten years.
“Chief Perkins has led the Huntley Police Department with distinction over the past ten years,” Village Manager David Johnson said.
During his tenure, Perkins led the department to attaining certification with the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in 2010 and in 2013. Johnson said the department has grown under Perkins from a small department of 23 employees to 39 today and has developed programs such as the Citizen Police Academy, Community Response Team, Domestic Violence Assistance Program and the L.E.A.D. the Way drug awareness and life skills program.
Porter comes to the village from Downers Grove where he served as police chief for 15 of his 28 years with that department. Porter holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a master’s degree in Public Safety Administration from Lewis University. His is a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command and the FBI National Academy.
Sass said he is proud to have Porter as the village’s next Chief of Police.
“We are excited to bring Chief Porter to Huntley. We are confident that his experience and leadership will serve our community as we continue to grow and face the many challenges that growth brings,” Sass said in a release.
“I appreciate the opportunity to serve the residents of Huntley and to lead the dedicated police officers of the Huntley Police Department,” Porter said.
Porter will begin his new role with the department on Oct. 12.
At a recent board meeting, a police officer was sworn into office by Village Clerk Rita Murphy.
Officer Ryan Gregorio, who took the oath of office, comes to the village from the McHenry Police Department where he worked since 2009. While on the McHenry police force, Gregorio worked as a gang specialist, among other duties.
Deputy Chief Mike Klunk introduced Gregorio to the board saying the officer graduated from McHenry High School in 1997 and earned a bachelor’s degree in aviation management and has both his commercial and private pilot’s licenses.
“I’d like to thank the police commissioners and the City Council. I am excited to be here to serve the residents of Huntley,” Gregorio said.
Jeanie Mayer is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
