Salem’s new Police Chief Todd Boles first once to get to know the department and then look at several improvements.
Boles has spent the last 17 years on the Charleston Police Department where he will retire before starting work in Salem next month.
Boles says Salem wasn’t a random choice as it is the community where his parents Judy and Richard Boles grew up. They are also planning to return to Salem. Boles says the move comes at an opportune time for his six-year-old son to start first grade in a community he feels will be great to raise a family.
Boles has a bachelor’s degree in criminology from Indiana State University and has completed all three of the Illinois State Police training supervision programs. At Charleston, he has spent two years as Sergeant before becoming a lieutenant five years ago.
Boles said he had a great meeting with Deputy Chief Tyler Rose and feels they are on the same page in leadership and how members of the department should be treated. After spending the first year getting to know the department members, Boles has several changes he’d like to make.
“Their FTO program needs updated,” Boles said. “We discussed some updates on how they’re doing traffic crash reporting. I pitched some ideas of license plate readers. The camera system will read license plates and flag things of that nature if you have a stolen vehicle coming down or if you have people driving suspended. It can also be used if you do have a crime, you can put in a vehicle description. For example, if you’ve got a Red Ford, it will show you right where any Red Fords have hit your cameras.”
Boles says the traffic camera system would require City Council approval before it could move forward. He notes Centralia, Effingham and other communities are currently making good use of the cameras.
Boles says with decline in number of police officers, he’s hoping the city can improve its lateral transfer program to attract experienced officers to fill its ranks.
“I hope to get some more stability. In a small town, I know that people like to see the same officers there, and that’s what we hope to achieve and bring to the future.”
Boles notes in Charleston they have been able to make the department attractive enough to keep officers from leaving for higher paying positions.
Boles officially becomes Police Chief on April 14th. Rose has been Acting Chief as well as Deputy Chief since the retirement of Susan Miller.
