The Village of Algonquin, IL

The Village of Algonquin is pleased to announce the appointment of Dennis Walker as the new Chief of Police for the Algonquin Police Department. Walker brings a wealth of experience and leadership to the position, having been an active member of the community throughout his 25 years of dedicated service.

"We are thrilled to have Dennis Walker as our new Chief and are confident in his ability to lead the Algonquin Police Department," said Village President Debby Sosine. "He has a strong track record of building relationships with our community and promoting fair and just policing practices. We are excited about what his leadership means to the community."

Walker began his law enforcement career with the Algonquin Police Department in 1998, where he worked his way up through the ranks to become Deputy Chief of Operations. Beginning as a patrol officer, he took advantage of every training and development opportunity provided to him.  A graduate of Western Illinois University and the Illinois Police Training Institute, Walker represented the Algonquin Police Department as a student in the top two U.S. law enforcement academies: Northwestern’s School of Staff and Command and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy. 

Walker has been an active member of the Algonquin community, having coached little league baseball behind St. Margaret Mary School, then becoming a Knights of Columbus at St. Margaret Mary Church. Early in his career, Walker accepted the position of School Resource Officer at Jacobs High School, where he built strong community relationships while creating and coordinated a local peer Jury program to assist with court diversion for juvenile offenders.

Most recently, he has been successful as the Deputy Chief of Operations, managing multiple divisions within the police department as well as working creatively with multiple other departments within the Village.  Walker has been especially effective in various community engagement programs sponsored by the Algonquin Police Department, including Cop on a Rooftop, National Night Out, and other community events.  

Walker has applied specific focus and energy toward positively representing the Algonquin Police Department locally, statewide, and nationally related to the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, advocating for those with intellectual disabilities. Through his leadership, the Algonquin Police Department is recognized as a national leader and model agency in this effort.

In his new role as Chief of Police, Walker will oversee the day-to-day operations of the department and will work to keep relationships between the police and community strong. He will also continue to focus on implementing community policing initiatives and promoting transparency and accountability within the department.

"I am honored to have been selected as the new Chief of Police for the Algonquin Police Department," said Walker. "I look forward to leading the dedicated men and women of the department and working to build upon on our strong partnerships with the community. Together, we will continue to keep Algonquin a safe place for all."

Chief Walker will take over as Chief of Police on January 3, 2023. Please join us in welcoming Chief Walker in his new role with the Algonquin community.