Police Commander Retiring After 33 Years

BUFFALO GROVE, IL — Commander Tom Reed is set to retire on May 22, after proudly serving Buffalo Grove for more than 32 years, according to a press release from the Buffalo Grove Police Department.

“Tom is one of the most respected officers within the agency, as well as the NortheastIllinois Region,” Buffalo Grove Police Chief Steve Casstevens said. “He is second to none in terms of intellect, hard work, and dedication; to say he will be missed as a valued member of the command staff would be a vast understatement.”

Reed began his career in 1982 as a part-time desk officer for the Buffalo Grove Police Department before advancing to become a General Service Officer a few months later. Reed then accepted a job as a police officer with the Libertyville Police Department in mid-1985 where he became one of the original team members for the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System, which responds to high-risk situations, from natural disasters, special events, or calls for service.

After three years with the Libertyville Police Department, he rejoined the ranks at Buffalo Grove in 1988. According to the release, Reed is described as a "highly decorated member of the agency with a wealth of knowledge and experience, particularly as an Investigator." He has been recognized as a strong detective and evidence technician, due to his keen attention to detail.

In 1992, Reed began sharing his skills as an Evidence Technician with the Lake County Major Crime Task force, and he was named Chief Evidence Technician from 1996-2003. Reed’s career progressed from there as he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2003, and then assigned to patrol for a short time later before returning to supervise the Investigations Unit. He rose to the rank of Commander in 2011 and oversaw the patrol division for three years prior to returning to investigations, where he has served since 2014.

Numerous awards have been earned by Commander Reed from the department over his career, which have included Officer of the Year (1996), Employee of the Quarter (1990, 1997, 2018), Special Commendation (2000, 2013, 2019), Unit Citation (1998, 2000, 2002, 2004), Honorable Mention (1993, 1999, 2000, 2001) and a Life Saving Award in 2003.

From outside law enforcement agencies, he received the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Certificate of Appreciation in 1992, an Award of Merit from the Cook County Sheriff’s Department in 1996.

In addition to him being a valued member in the Buffalo Grove Police Department, Reed has also served as an Adjunct Professor at Harper College, where he has taught forensics for the past 12 years.

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