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Blue Island council confirms Jason Slatterie as police chief amid debate over search process
Summary
The Blue Island City Council voted to confirm Mayor Vado’s appointments of Jason Slatterie as police chief and Matthew Walsh as deputy chief after aldermen raised concerns that a previously agreed recruitment process for chief was not followed.
The Blue Island City Council on May 27 confirmed Mayor Vado’s appointments of Jason Slatterie as police chief and Matthew Walsh as deputy chief, concluding a brief but pointed exchange about whether the city followed a promised recruitment process for the chief’s position.
Several aldermen said they had expected a formal chief search after a process was proposed about a year earlier. "We agreed a year ago there would be a process," Alderman Farwell said during the council discussion, opposing the rushed confirmation. Farwell moved to table the appointment but the motion received no second.
Mayor Vado described the selections as mayoral appointments and said he had diverted the search toward a deputy chief selection earlier; he presented Slatterie and Walsh as experienced department leaders. Supporters on the council spoke in favor. "Jason has shown extreme fair-mindedness and unparalleled dedication," one alderman said during remarks supporting the appointment.
After the swearing-in, Chief Slatterie outlined recent department work and priorities: modernizing patrol vehicles, updating uniforms and patches, making station repairs, equipping squad cars with moving radar and advanced cameras, restoring a 24-hour police lobby, and focusing on community policing, training and accountability. "We have seen the reduction in crime for the fourth consecutive quarter in a row," Slatterie said, describing staffing and operational changes made while serving as interim chief.
The council voted on the consent to the mayoral appointments by roll call. The clerk recorded votes with one recorded 'no' and the remainder 'yes'; the motion carried and both Slatterie and Walsh were sworn in at the meeting.
Looking ahead, several aldermen reiterated a desire for a transparent recruitment process for future high-level appointments. Alderman Farwell said he would support the new leadership going forward but emphasized the importance of following agreed procedures in future searches.
The council did not rescind the appointments; new chief and deputy chief will assume their duties while the council and administration continue to discuss internal policy for recruitment and appointment processes.
