Elgin’s Police Department honored three of its own for dedicated service to both the community and department at an annual awards ceremony recently.
“These individuals achieve excellence by demonstrating innovation and leadership daily,” said Elgin Police Chief Jeff Swoboda. “They are all most deserving of this recognition.”
Leon Filas was selected as Elgin’s Police Officer of the Year. Filas is a liaison officer at Abbott Middle School and is a reassuring figure to students, parents and staff. Swoboda said Filas represents safety, honesty and fairness and combined with his tactful communication skills, deserved to be recognized.
Kristie Hilton was chosen as the department’s Civilian of the Year. She is recognized as a talented, hard-working and knowledgeable employee who has written countless police department grants. Those grants have helped generate thousands of dollars to the department and have funded a variety of special projects. Hilton also has been instrumental in the development and implementation of the EPD’s new Records Management System.
Lt. Glenn Theriault was selected as the department’s Supervisor of the Year. Theriault created and executed the City’s new adjudication program which has also generated thousands of dollars to Elgin while also overseeing the development of a new electronic ticketing program. That program helped streamline the citation process and has saved the department countless hours of paperwork. Theriault was also recognized for his leadership in a myriad of department initiatives.
The Elgin Police Department is committed to providing safe neighborhoods and maintaining positive community partnerships. With 190 officers strong, Elgin residents can be confident that its police force is dedicated to the safety and well-being of the entire community. Elgin has experienced a reduction in crime it hasn’t experienced in nearly 40 years.