Salem Police Chief Sean Reynolds will retire on August 19th following a 27-year law enforcement career all at the Salem Police Department.
Reynolds received a standing ovation when making the announcement at Monday’s City Council meeting.
“Thank you all very much for the opportunity to be your Chief of Police. I look forward to serving for a couple more months. Of course I’ll always be available for anything after the fact. I’ll never turn a blind eye to the city or shut the door, it will always be open so thank you.”
Reynolds came up through the ranks, beginning as a patrolman under retired Chief John Duncan, serving on the drug task force and ILEAS Swat Team, becoming sergeant in 2005, and being named chief in 2014. He also served as an adjunct faculty member at Kaskaskia College.
“I’ve seen people maybe start out with a rough patch in life and grow and mature and grow into citizens to be proud of. I’ve had people come up to me many times over the years thanking me for arresting them of all things, because it may of been what catapulted them into a desire to do better. That speaks volumes. I can’t think of anything that makes me prouder as a police officer than to see citizens succeed.”
Reynolds considers some of the highlights of his tenure as chief as reestablishing a canine unit, adding a second detective and deputy chief positions as well as working with Salem Grade and High Schools for the start of the school resource program.
City Manager Rex Barbee expects two or three internal candidates and says the city will also seek outside candidates. He hopes to bring back a recommendation to the city council in July to hopefully allow Reynold’s to work with his replacement the last two weeks on the job in early August.
