‘I won’t be the last’: Oak Park’s first female police chief sworn in
OAK PARK — Oak Park Police Department Chief Shatonya Johnson was sworn in Friday as the village’s first female police chief.
She grew up on the south side of the city and grew up in the Altgeld Gardens projects.
She thanked her mentors and friends for helping her throughout her career and said she was simply paving the way for many others.
Johnson has served as the department’s interim chief since April when Ladon Reynolds retired.
Village Manager Kevin Jackson said they then launched a comprehensive national search but realized the right person for the job was already in their department.
“I found her to be uniquely qualified with her ability to interact with the community despite the circumstances, even when there is tension,” Jackson said.
As well as on October 14, when a resistance for more than 18 hours ended peacefully with the help of Johnson, who had been a negotiator for 15 years.
“I work alongside the men and women of Oak Park,” she said. “There’s nothing I would ask of anyone in the police department, jury or civilian, that I won’t do.”
She began her career with the department as a patrol officer in 2000 and worked her way up through the ranks.
Her mother pinned her down on Friday.
“She was very strict,” Johnson said. “She wanted to make sure I always did the right thing.”
She said her main goals are community engagement and officer wellness.
When asked what it was like to be the first female police chief in the village, she replied, “I won’t be the last.”
https://wgntv.com/news/i-wont-be-the-last-first-female-oak-park-police-chief-sworn-in/