Rock Island’s Deputy Chief of Police is about to become the department’s leader.
Former Police Chief Scott Harris became Director of Public Safety at Western Illinois University in Macomb on November 5, 2012.
Just before Harris departed, Lt. Jason Foy was named as the department’s interim police chief.
On December 5, City Manager Thomas Thomas announced Jeff VenHuizen will be the new Rock Island Police Chief.
VenHuizen has been with the department since 1993 and is currently the deputy police chief. He was named Officer of the Year in 1999, and has received more than a dozen certificates of recognition and commendation during his years with the Rock Island Police Department. He established the Crime Suppression Unit in 2012 to improve the department’s proactive efforts to combat criminal activity.
VenHuizen will be sworn as the new police chief December 10, 2012.
