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Romeoville swears in six new police officers; Kevin Hyatt promoted to sergeant
Summary
At the Sept. 17 Village Board meeting, Romeoville swore in six new police officers and promoted Kevin Hyatt to sergeant; the chief praised the hires' backgrounds and the board welcomed the expanded force.
The Village of Romeoville on Sept. 17 formally swore in six new police officers and promoted Kevin Hyatt to sergeant during a ceremony at Village Hall.
Chief (unnamed) introduced Hyatt as a 12-year veteran of the department with roles including field training officer, crime scene investigator and member of the Will County Major Crimes Task Force, saying, “Kevin exemplifies what it means to be a well rounded and compassionate officer.” Hyatt took the oath and later thanked the fire and police commission, the village board and his family for the promotion.
The chief introduced the new officers one by one, noting varied backgrounds: Jacob Greger (Plainfield native and U.S. Marine Corps veteran), Raymond Lewandowski (campus safety experience at Joliet Junior College), McKenna Vaira (former animal control officer and longtime community member), Matthew Maher (academy valedictorian), Benjamin Perdue (background and certifications discussed by the chief) and Dominic Fruzzalone (College of DuPage graduate with volunteer service). Each took the oath and offered brief remarks thanking the board, chief and family.
Jacob Greger said he had “always wanted to be a police officer ever since I was a small child” and expressed eagerness to serve Romeoville. McKenna Vaira spoke to her ties to the community and her commitment to earning residents’ trust. Matthew Maher and other newly sworn officers also offered brief remarks of gratitude.
Mayor John Noak and trustees congratulated the new sergeant and officers and invited the audience to applaud. The mayor noted there would be post-ceremony activities for the officers and welcomed them into the department.
The board did not take a formal vote for the swearing-in itself; the promotions and oath-taking were part of the meeting program and ceremonial recognition. The department’s leadership said the hires reflect a mix of lateral hires and academy graduates, and emphasized training and community engagement as priorities going forward.
