Plainfield Police Chief On Leave Due To Health Issue

PLAINFIELD, IL — Plainfield Police Chief John Konopek is on leave "until further notice," according to an email autoreply sent from his Village of Plainfield account. The chief, however, did reply to an email from Patch to say he is dealing with a health issue.

He told Patch he expects to be off for several weeks.

"He had a medical procedure and he'll be back soon," Commander Ken Ruggles, who is acting chief through June 12, told Patch.

The email states that a police commander will serve as acting chief through June 12, and after June 12, one of two other commanders will do so.

"Commander Ken Ruggles will be Acting Chief in my absence until June 12th," Konopek's autoreply says. "Either Commander Tony Novak or Commander Kevin Greco will be acting Chief after June 12th."

Konopek was named interim chief in February 2011 and sworn in permanently in September 2011. He took over for Chief William Doster, who retired due to an undisclosed health issue. Prior to Doster, the chief was Don Bennett, who served Plainfield for nearly 25 years before retiring.

"Konopek, a Joliet native, joined the department as a patrol officer in 1995," Patch reported back in 2011. "He was promoted to sergeant in 1999 and commander in 2000. Until Monday night, he oversaw the department's community services division and headed the Plainfield Emergency Management Agency."

Photo: Konopek is sworn in as interim chief in 2011/Plainfield Patch file photo