PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — The City of Peoria has announced Eric P. Echevarria has been named the new Chief of Police for the Peoria Police Department.
Echevarria has been a law enforcement professional for more than 20 years for the city of Elgin. He has worked in the operations bureau, special investigations, major investigations and also served for 15 years as a resident officer.
Currently, he is currently serving as the police commander of investigations for the Elgin Police Department.
“Commander Echevarria’s history with the resident police officer program, which we modeled here in Peoria after Elgin, his enthusiasm for the position, his focus on community engagement, and his desire to make a difference in a community like Peoria were strong factors in his selection. I welcome his ideas and his experience,” said City Manager Patrick Urich.
Echevarria holds a Bachelor of Arts from Northeastern Illinois University and an Associate of Arts from Benedictine University. He also served as a Corporal for the United States Marine Corps.
Echevarria stated, “My family and I are excited to plant new roots in such a diverse and vibrant community. Law enforcement alone cannot solve the challenges we face. I look forward to working alongside the Peoria Police Department members in collaboration with the community to strengthen our common bonds, reduce crime, and improve the quality of life for our residents.”
He also says transparency and communication will be crucial as the landscape of policing in Illinois evolves.
“We’ve got to accept that there’s change and that reform bill is out there but even that is changing day-to-day with trailer bills, and my job as a Chief is going to be making sure the community is safe and just as importantly is that the officers have the right tools, have the right policies in place to also be able to do their job safely, adequately,” Echevarria said.
Echevarria will assume the role as Chief on Aug. 2 with a starting salary of $176,000.