HR0791 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0791 LRB099 14425 MST 38524 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Aurora Police Chief Greg Thomas on the occasion of his retirement on November 13, 2015; and

WHEREAS, Chief Thomas began his Aurora police career as a cadet in 1978 and worked his way through every rank; he was sworn in as a patrol officer in 1982 and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1993, Lieutenant in 2003, Commander in 2005, and Deputy Chief in 2007, ultimately reaching Chief of Police in 2008; under his leadership, the city continued unprecedented decreases in crime, greatly reduced the number of traffic crashes, and focused on intelligence-led and community-oriented policing; he also oversaw the move into the state-of-the-art police headquarters, which included a new digital radio system and 911 telephone system; and

WHEREAS, Chief Thomas excelled in most of the divisions of the police department, including patrol, investigations, support services, the Special Response Team, and many others; and

WHEREAS, Chief Thomas has become known as a strong advocate for Aurora through his work with several faith-based groups, business agencies, and community organizations; he recently resurrected "Aurora Cares", a collaborative group of various agencies working together to reduce violence; he also sits on the board of the Aurora Human Relations Commission; and

WHEREAS, Chief Thomas received the Kendall County Medal of Valor and was named the Exchange Club of Aurora's Police Officer of the Year in 2005; he was also nominated for Officer of the Year in 1998 and has been the recipient of numerous department commendations and letters of appreciation; and

WHEREAS, Chief Thomas was born in Aurora; he graduated from East Aurora High School and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Lewis University and a Master of Business Arts from Aurora University; he lives in Aurora with his wife, Julie, and has 3 adult children, Todd, LeighAnn, and Alexis; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Aurora Police Chief Greg Thomas on his retirement and wish him the best in all his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Chief Thomas as an expression of our esteem and respect.