Crest Hill council appoints Edward L. Clark III as police chief through 2029

The Crest Hill City Council voted to appoint Edward L. Clark III as the city's police chief and approved an employment agreement putting him in the role effective immediately through May 7, 2029.

The appointment drew a named motion, a second and a roll-call vote; council later approved a resolution (No. 1310) formalizing the appointment and the employment agreement. Mayor and council members praised Clark's record during the meeting, noting his service to the city since 2017.

Mayor: "Ed has been our police chief since 2017 for 8 years. I believe he has done a fantastic job for the city of Crest Hill," the mayor said when introducing the appointment. In brief remarks after the vote, Clark said, "I've had a wonderful opportunity the last 8 years ... I'm looking forward to working as hard as I can for the city."

Council members offered congratulations and personal remarks after the vote. The motion to appoint Clark passed on the roll call; council then approved Resolution 1310 to adopt the appointment and employment contract.

The city did not place additional conditions on the employment agreement during the meeting. The council discussion and vote recorded the formal action; no amendments to the appointment were proposed at the time of the vote.

What council did next: With the resolution adopted, Clark is installed as chief under the approved employment agreement; council members who spoke during the agenda item signaled support and encouraged continued community outreach.

Questions that remain: The employment agreement text was corrected in the meeting to fix a typographical year error in a compensation section (the mayor's office noted the change). Any further administrative details about the agreement's benefits, evaluation schedule or performance metrics were not discussed on the record.