Keating to be next police chief of Mokena
Village Board approves appointment in 6-0 vote
John Keating (left) is sworn in Monday, April 26, by Village Clerk Melissa Martini minutes after being successfully appointed by the Village of Mokena Board of Trustees as the next police chief of the Village. JON DEPAOLIS/RICHARD FREE PRESS
By Jon DePaolis
MOKENA, Ill. – Mokena has a new top cop, and he is a familiar face in the southwest suburbs.
John Keating, who in recent years served as Orland Park’s assistant village manager and was a 29-year member of the Orland Park Police Department, was appointed as the next chief of police in the Village of Mokena by a 6-0 vote Monday, April 26.
With the appointment, Keating is scheduled to start as police chief on May 10.
Mokena Mayor Frank Fleischer said it was his “pleasure” to recommend the appointment of Keating to be the next police chief of Mokena.
“I’m very happy that you’ve decided to come to the Village of Mokena and work with us,” he said.
Fleischer said the position was advertised with the Will County Chiefs of Police Association, the South Suburban Association of Chiefs of Police, the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, GovHR, the Illinois Municipal League, the Blue Line, and on the Village’s website.
“The Village completed a nationwide search to find a suitable candidate to replace Interim Chief of Police Tim McCarthy, as his time with the Village [ended] on April 26,” Fleischer said. “The Village was successful in attracting 39 candidates.”
In addition to serving the Orland Park Police Department for nearly three decades, Keating was most recently an investigator for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
“Mr. Keating, I think you’re going to do an exceptional job,” Trustee Joseph Siwinski said. “I think you’re going to be a fine leader. We have an exceptional department. We have officers who keep us safe every day. It’s really a fine department. I think you’re really going to make it shine even more.”
Keating thanked the Village Board members and the Village staff for putting their faith in him.
“With great authority comes great responsibility,” Keating said. “I thank you all for having the confidence in me. I can assure you: I will not let you down.”
Keating said his communication style is based off integrity, civility and fairness.
“To the members of the Mokena Police Department: I am honored and humbled to serve as your next police chief,” he said. “Games are not won by a single individual, and I’m well aware of that. I am proud to be serving on your team, and I look forward to personally meeting with each and every one of you and learning what the department is doing well and what can be improved.
“We will be facing some challenging times ahead for law enforcement. We realize that there are some things that need to be done that are not always easy to do, and sometimes the work is not very pleasant. But we come to work every single day. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week; and we always try to treat people fairly, with the dignity and respect that they deserve.
“Know that you are valued by the Village Board and the administration for the difficult work you do.”
Keating said his administration will be guided by four pillars: professional accountability; community collaboration; crime management; and employee wellness.
“Our mission is to serve and protect the Mokena community while building strong relationships based on mutual trust and respect,” he said. “We will carry out our mission with the highest level of professionalism, integrity and excellence.”
The Village Board members also voted 6-0 to approve Cmdr. Randal Stumpf to the role of interim police chief until Keating formally takes over on May 10.