A long-term interview.
That’s what Gregory Weiss is calling his 14-month stretch as interim police chief in River Forest, which ended May 23 with his appointment as the village chief of police.
Preparing for his new role has taken much longer than 14 months. It’s a road he’s traveled for more than two decades, since he came to River Forest as a rookie patrol officer in 1987.
“I’ve always been the type who wants to go on,” said Weiss, in an interview on his first full day as chief, May 24.
He told himself he could make peace with not achieving that goal, so long as he knew he’d given it his very best effort. But he carefully measured his actions every step of the way, his ultimate goal always in mind.
“I kept my nose clean,” Weiss said. “[I did] nothing that I should be ashamed of.”
Now he’s right where he always hoped he’d be. In every agency, every department, there are numerous officers but only one chief. “This is the pinnacle for me,” he said.
“I think he’s been handed a challenging job up to this point,” said River Forest Police Sergeant Michael Thornley, adding that interim chiefs are often installed short-term, to help “steer the boat.” But during his much longer stretch, Weiss rose to the occasion. Thornley said he addressed a difficult situation “extremely well.”
“He’s taught me a lot,” said Thornley, who has also spent his entire police career in River Forest, and had Weiss as a field training officer early on.
Married to his wife for almost 27 years, the father of three children, all college-age or beyond, Weiss grew up in Jefferson Park, and served for five years in the U.S. Army before joining the police force. He remembers taking bike rides with his wife through the picturesque streets of River Forest, admiring the storybook houses and wondering what they looked like inside.
He eventually landed his first job — in the River Forest Police Department — and that’s where he’s stayed for the duration of his career. It’s taken him through numerous positions with many titles, including corporal (back when that position still existed in the department), sergeant, and deputy chief. He also stocked up on degrees and certifications, including a master’s degree in Law Enforcement Administration and the Illinois Police Chief Certification program.
That’s all fine fortification for a future chief, but Weiss said success in his new role is dependent on the department as a whole, and the performance of its officers.
“My philosophy is, surround yourself with intelligent people, and that’s certainly what we’ve done,” Weiss said. “[I] understand that I need the people below me to do the job properly. I know that I’m not going to succeed unless they succeed, and they’re not going to succeed unless I give them the tools … to succeed.”
“He believes in mentoring, and that’s extremely important here,” Thornley said.
Echoing Weiss’ sentiment about his tenure as interim chief, Village President John Rigas said the 14-month “extended interview” actually put Weiss at a disadvantage among candidates.
“He had multiple opportunities to slip and fall and trip up, in which case that would have been reflected in the review,” Rigas said. “But he didn’t. … That in itself showed us he was doing a great job.”
Rigas recommended Weiss as police chief to the River Forest Board of Trustees, which voted unanimously in favor of the appointment. It’s the first time in more than 25 years that the village has selected a chief from within the department.
“I think we have been ready for an inside chief of police for a very long time,” said Thornley. He expects it will have a positive impact on current department members by letting them know that the position of chief is an achievable goal.
“The philosophy being that it’s very difficult to strive for a job that you know you can’t have,” Thornley said.
Weiss said one of his first orders of business will be to appoint a deputy chief. “I’ll look at everybody, their strengths and weaknesses,” he said. But he doesn’t have a timeline. “It’s not fair to tip my hand yet until I know for sure what I’m going to do.”
Beyond that, he’ll continue the technological trend that has helped keep the arrest and crime-solving rate high in River Forest. He was the project manager for the installation of the surveillance cameras that currently monitor the Town Center at Lake and Harlem, and there are plans in the works to put up more in other locations.
Weiss has also overseen the addition of license-plate readers in patrol cars — which came in handy the day after he was appointed chief. According to Village Administrator Eric Palm, everyone gathered at a morning staff meeting to congratulate Weiss, who was running late. Turns out, he was busy apprehending a suspect. He’d hitched a ride to village hall with another officer, and the license plate reader in the patrol car got a hit as they were driving. “It’s those types of things where the technology has come into place and it can make the job easier for law enforcement officials,” Palm said.
“He’s been there a long time, done an excellent job, been a team player,” said Rigas, adding that police department staff do not keep quiet if they think something should be done differently.
Thornley agreed. “I’ve known Greg since I’ve been a policeman here. … You can’t be happier for a person to achieve that goal,” he said. “It’s a good thing for us, for the department, for this family we have here.”