Top Cop: Brian Benton Named Full-Time Mokena Police Chief

MOKENA, IL — After nearly a year without one, the Mokena Police Department now has a full-time chief of police. The Mokena Village Board of Trustees voted unanimously at its Monday meeting to remove the "interim" tag from Brian Benton and officially appoint him to the position.

Mokena Mayor Frank Fleischer "confidently" recommended Benton's appointment to the position of chief, and said that Benton has done "an excellent job in leading the police department in all facets," including the development of the future Mokena Police Department station to be located at 191st Street and 104th Avenue.

"This is something that I almost knew as soon as I met Mr. Benton, that he was going to turn out to be the chief that we thought he was going to be. And I couldn't be happier, Chief," Fleischer said.

Benton thanked the Board, Village staff, and the men and women of the Mokena Police Department, as well as other Mokena agencies, including the Mokena Fire Protection District and the Mokena Emergency Services Disaster Agency.

"[Mokena] really is a great village, and everybody collectively really seems like they have more than wanted me to succeed," Benton said. "I wouldn't have done it without them. So, thank you all."

The terms of Benton's contract were not disclosed during Monday's meeting. Patch has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for the contract.

Benton's appointment to chief comes after nearly two years in which the position had been a revolving door of potential candidates and fill-ins.

Related:

• Letter Of No Confidence In Ex-Mokena Chief Outlines Allegations
• Tim McCarthy Named Interim Mokena Police Chief
• New Police Chief Named For Mokena
• Mokena Police Chief Resigns: Village
• Mokena Names Former Joliet Police Chief As Interim Chief

Benton first came aboard under a six-month contract as interim chief in August 2021. That contract was renewed for another six months in February and was set to expire this month.

On July 20, Patch reached out to Village Assistant Administrator Kirk Zoellner to find out if the Village had any plans for or was already in the process of hiring a full-time chief to replace Benton, or if Benton would be given another extension. Zoellner responded July 21 that "I have no updates on this subject."

Benton took over as interim chief following the resignation of John Keating, who served as chief for just three months from May to August 2021.

Keating was preceded by Tim McCarthy, who himself was also serving in the interim chief role at the time. McCarthy took on his six-month interim role in November 2021 while the Village of Mokena investigated allegations against then-Chief Steve Vaccaro that were part of a letter of no confidence dated Oct. 27, 2020, and signed by 25 Mokena police officers.

Vaccaro resigned Dec. 18, 2020 while the investigation was underway. He told Patch in August 2021 that: "The allegations made by the authors [of the letter] are false, they're baseless, and they're without merit. Every one of them."

In a related move, the trustees voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance that changes the residency requirements for Mokena Police Department commanders and chiefs. The ordinance was listed under the Village Board's Consent Agenda items. There was no discussion about the changes, nor were details provided during Monday's meeting.

Patch has filed a Freedom of Information Act Request for the text of that ordinance, as well.

While it is not clear what, if any, new residency requirements are part of the new ordinance. The previous ordinance, which was still listed Tuesday in the Mokena Code of Ordinances, states that "the chief of police of the village shall be obligated to reside within the corporate boundaries of the village within twelve (12) months after the date of his appointment as chief of police."

Benton currently lives in Joliet.

Following his official swearing in, Benton thanked his family for their support and offered assurance to the Village Board that he would continue to serve the Village and its residents.

"In closing, I'd like to assure you all that I will do all that I can to help continue to move the police department forward and to eventually become one of the most professional police departments in this state," Benton said.