Oak Park To Swear In New Top Cop in Special Ceremony

OAK PARK, IL -- Oak Park veteran cop, Anthony Ambrose, will be sworn in as the new village police chief in a special ceremony on 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30. The swearing in ceremony will be held in council chambers at Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison St..

Ambrose has served as the deputy police chief since 2005. He success Rick Tanksley, who recently retired after more than 32 years on the force. Ambrose joined the Oak Park Police Department in April 1984 as a patrol officer. He rose through the ranks gaining experience in all aspects of department operations.

As deputy chief, his responsibilities focused on administration, including budgeting and training, while also providing highly complex administrative support to Chief Tanksley and Manager Cara Pavlicek.

Prior to his role in administration, Ambrose oversaw the Department’s community policing operations, including the residential beat officer program that includes assigning officers to specific neighborhoods, stationing resource officers in the middle and high schools, and co-sponsoring safety programs through neighborhood meetings.

Ambrose holds a master’s degree in criminal justice from Lewis University in Lockport and a bachelor’s degree in political science from DePaul University in Chicago. He also has certificates from a wide range of specialized training, including through the FBI and various police-related and professional management organizations. In addition, he is certified by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.

In a statement on the village’s website, Ambrose called his appointment the “pinnacle of his law enforcement career.”

“I have dedicated my professional life to the Village of Oak Park. The opportunity to become Chief of Police here is one I have worked toward and am excited to take on,” he said. “Oak Park is a special community and its Police force is unique as well. I am looking forward to continuing the community oriented approach to policing that has created a true partnership between Oak Park residents and the officers who serve and protect them.”

Village Manager Cara Pavlicek and elected officials will join colleagues, friends, family and citizens in the ceremony to officially swear in the new Oak Park police chief.

Photo provided by Village of Oak Park