Darien Police Chief Retiring This Fall After 11 Years At Helm

DARIEN, IL – Darien Police Chief Greg Thomas is retiring in November after 11 years at the helm, the village announced Thursday.

Thomas was originally appointed as interim chief in November 2015 for what was expected to be a temporary three- to six-month assignment, the city said. He ended up being the police department's permanent chief.

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Before Darien, Thomas was Aurora's police chief. He retired from that department.

"We extend our sincere gratitude to Chief Thomas for his unwavering commitment and wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement," the city said in its weekly newsletter.

The police department has two deputy chiefs, Jason Norton and Austin Jump.

In Darien, Thomas has kept close track of crime statistics, presenting them to the City Council monthly. Most other chiefs publicly unveil such data annually.

During the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, Thomas issued a statement, saying he was "angered and saddened" by the death of George Floyd. Floyd's killing at the hands of police sparked the demonstrations.

"Law enforcement leaders must have the courage to denounce actions that tear at the very core of the communities we serve, our profession, our values and our principles," Thomas said. "The anger most are feeling is a justified emotion. The black community is angered, those who support the black community are angered, the police are angered."

He said protests were the righteous response, but not riots.

A few years ago, Thomas kept the City Council informed on the SAFE-T Act, which ended cash bail. He was among the police chiefs who spoke with officials about changes to the law.

While many law enforcement officials, especially sheriffs, railed against the law, Thomas took a more moderate stand.

He told aldermen that the SAFE-T Act seeks fairness between defendants with money and those without.

"I think we can be fair, but we can also be safe," he said.

He supported the law's requirements to use body cameras and maintain disciplinary records.

His last day as chief is Nov. 13.