Eric Rossi is the new police chief in Orland Park. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

Eric Rossi is the new police chief in Orland Park. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

Rossi sworn in as Orland Park’s top cop

Spread the love

By Jeff Vorva

There was a heavy police presence at Monday’s Village of Orland Park Board of Trustees meeting, but it had nothing to do with controversy over a hot-button issue, which usually brings the men and women in blue to meetings.

No, this gathering of cops both young and old were to witness the swearing in of their new police chief—one who rose through their own ranks.

Eric Rossi, the interim chief since April after Joseph Mitchell retired in late March, takes the top spot after the board unanimously approved the 44-year-old Rossi’s appointment

He has seemingly done it all as an Orland Park policeman in the past 17 years. He’s been a patrol officer, bicycle patrol officer, field training officer, investigator, patrol sergeant, lieutenant in administration, investigations commander and deputy chief.

UPSTAIRS

Some Orland Park police take in the Eric Rossi swearing-in ceremony from upstairs of Village Hall. Photo by Jeff Vorva

After being sworn in, Rossi had some thanking to do, especially when it came to his family.

“To my friends and family who took time out of their day to come here, I thank you,” he said. “Thank you for your support throughout the years and everything you have ever done for me.

“To my wife, my mom and dad and two daughters, thank you for everything. The 2 a.m. phone calls, the 39 hours working a murder case…thank you.

“To the men and women of the Orland Park Police Department, these are the workers who make this town safe. Thank you for everything that you do.”

Rossi has also served on the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force as an investigator and assistant commander.

“You are going to do a great job,” Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau said at the meeting. “I know we picked the right guy. I know that the chiefs that preceded you worked you all the way up the department for this role.

They trained you, they prepared you and they know that you’re ready. We know that you’re ready. So, we’re looking forward to your tenure as chief.”

The past two chiefs, Mitchell and Tim McCarthy, were on hand to support Rossi.

Trustee Sean Kampas said that Rossi has been trained by the best.

“It’s been a distinct pleasure to learn about the operations of a world-class police department that has been built on a culture of excellence,” he said. “It’s especially fitting that the torch of leadership be passed with someone who is as intimately involved in the continuous improvement of the department as you have been over your many years of service.

“In our individual conversations with Chief Mitchell and Chief McCarthy and the discussions with the women and men of the department, I have no doubt that you demonstrate expert competency as well as a high degree of passion for the officers and the staff of the department, the security of our businesses and the safety of our residents.”

Rossi is a graduate of Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Eastern Illinois University and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Lewis University. He is married and has two children.

He was raised in Tinley Park, attended Andrew High School and served as a caddy at Crystal Tree Country Club growing up.

He takes over for Mitchell, who left to become the chief in Wilmington. Mitchell was with the force for 27 years including the past two years as chief.

Pekau addressed the police in attendance and lauded them for their work over the years.

“Chief Rossi coming through the department from the very beginning is a reflection on all of you and what a great department that we have from top to bottom,” the mayor said. “We can develop our own leaders and we do throughout the department. We have the best department in the state of Illinois and that’s because of you and it’s because of the leadership.”

1 Comment

  1. Vince and Kathy Keefe on May 4, 2022 at 2:27 pm

    Congratulations! We’re proud to have you as our Police Chief.



Local News

GSWNH_StarStudentEarnsScholarship_032423

Star student earns college scholarship

Spread the love

Spread the love St. Laurence High School senior Priscilla Bonilla stands with her family, minutes after learning she has earned a four-year academic scholarship to the University of St. Francis. In college, she plans to study theology and secondary education, with a hope to return to St. Laurence one day as a teacher. A West…

election day april 4 2023

Worth Park District asks voters to support parks

Spread the love

Spread the loveWorth Park District officials will ask residents on April 4 if they are willing to pay a little more to support facilities. The district will ask voters to approve a 0.2000 percent tax rate increase. If approved, residents would pay about an additional $5 per month for every $100,000 of equalized assessed value…

The OLCHS Contest Play team. (Supplied photo)

OLCHS, Richards Contest Play advance to state finals

Spread the love

Spread the loveBoth Richards High School and Oak Lawn Community High School Contest Play productions advanced to state finals March 24 and March 25 at Glenwood High School in Chatham after earning the title of Sectional Champions. OLCHS’ Mariana Salazar, Mariam Chuli, Melanie Cabrera, Jet Peleaz, Matthew Perry, Shawn Perry, Vasili Patrianakos, and Kathryn Fragapane…

Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough is joined by Paul O'Grady (far right) and other elected officials to help recruit 1,000 Election Day poll workers. (Photo by Bryan Docter, Cook County Clerk's Office)

Yarbrough and O’Grady join elected officials to recruit Election Day workers

Spread the love

Spread the loveFacing a critical shortage of election poll workers, Cook County Clerk Karen A. Yarbrough on Tuesday joined Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady and Maywood Library Board Director Erica Sanchez to ask suburban residents to heed the call, help their local community, and get paid to volunteer as poll workers for the upcoming April…

Freshly shaved Stagg High School junior Oswaldo Macias, of Bridgeview, reacts as he watches his classmate Max Slanda, of Orland Park, gets his St. Baldrick's haircut at the Palos Hills school on St. Patrick's Day. (Photos by Dermot Connolly)

At Stagg, bald is beautiful for St. Baldrick’s Foundation

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Dermot Connolly Students and staff at Stagg and Sandburg high schools raised thousands of dollars for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation on St. Patrick’s Day, with many going all out and getting their heads shaved. Leah Ellis, a counselor at Stagg, has been coordinating the Palos Hills school’s participation in the annual fundraiser…

Jamie Hannion

Sterling Estates woman charged in death of 19-month-old son

Spread the love

Spread the loveA woman from unincorporated Sterling Estates in Justice was charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment stemming from an incident involving her 19-month-old son that started in October, Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced Thursday. On Oct. 17, Sheriff’s Police responded to a residence in the 800 block of Victory Lane in unincorporated Sterling…

Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau said that plans for a band shell at Centennial Park west have been in the works for 20 years. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Centennial Park West band shell project ready to roll

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva A project that has been 20 years in the making finally is good to go. The Village of Orland Park Board of Trustees voted Monday, March 20, to give a green light to the Centennial Park West project. The revamped park will have a permanent stage to host three major…

U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-4th) announces his endorsement of the mayoral candidacy of Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson (D-1st).--Supplied photo

Taking sides in mayoral race

Spread the love

Spread the love. Clearing, Garfield Ridge endorsements start to emerge By Tim Hadac While neither Paul Vallas nor Brandon Johnson has campaigned to any significant degree in Clearing or Garfield Ridge, their supporters—including several here in the neighborhood–are starting to go public. The latest endorsement to be snagged occurred last Friday, when U.S. Rep. Jesús…

Congressman Sean Casten speaks to a crowd during a town hall meeting in Orland Park. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Casten still learning the lay of the land in the south suburbs

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Sean Casten is getting to know his new mayors. Casten, the Democratic Congressman of the revamped 6th District, has been spending a lot of time meeting 40 mayors in recent weeks after he was sworn into office in January. Casten beat out Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau in the November…

election day april 4 2023

Court’s in session for Palos Park mayoral candidates

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Yes, they are lawyers. And they know how to give a closing argument. Longtime Palos Park Commissioner Nicole Milovich-Walters and Ronette Leal McCarthy are a pair of lawyers seeking the job as mayor to take over for John Mahoney, also a lawyer, who is retiring and did not seek a…

Neighbors

GSWNH_StarStudentEarnsScholarship_032423

Star student earns college scholarship

Spread the love

Spread the love St. Laurence High School senior Priscilla Bonilla stands with her family, minutes after learning she has earned a four-year academic scholarship to the University of St. Francis. In college, she plans to study theology and secondary education, with a hope to return to St. Laurence one day as a teacher. A West…

election day april 4 2023

Worth Park District asks voters to support parks

Spread the love

Spread the loveWorth Park District officials will ask residents on April 4 if they are willing to pay a little more to support facilities. The district will ask voters to approve a 0.2000 percent tax rate increase. If approved, residents would pay about an additional $5 per month for every $100,000 of equalized assessed value…

The OLCHS Contest Play team. (Supplied photo)

OLCHS, Richards Contest Play advance to state finals

Spread the love

Spread the loveBoth Richards High School and Oak Lawn Community High School Contest Play productions advanced to state finals March 24 and March 25 at Glenwood High School in Chatham after earning the title of Sectional Champions. OLCHS’ Mariana Salazar, Mariam Chuli, Melanie Cabrera, Jet Peleaz, Matthew Perry, Shawn Perry, Vasili Patrianakos, and Kathryn Fragapane…

Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough is joined by Paul O'Grady (far right) and other elected officials to help recruit 1,000 Election Day poll workers. (Photo by Bryan Docter, Cook County Clerk's Office)

Yarbrough and O’Grady join elected officials to recruit Election Day workers

Spread the love

Spread the loveFacing a critical shortage of election poll workers, Cook County Clerk Karen A. Yarbrough on Tuesday joined Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady and Maywood Library Board Director Erica Sanchez to ask suburban residents to heed the call, help their local community, and get paid to volunteer as poll workers for the upcoming April…

Freshly shaved Stagg High School junior Oswaldo Macias, of Bridgeview, reacts as he watches his classmate Max Slanda, of Orland Park, gets his St. Baldrick's haircut at the Palos Hills school on St. Patrick's Day. (Photos by Dermot Connolly)

At Stagg, bald is beautiful for St. Baldrick’s Foundation

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Dermot Connolly Students and staff at Stagg and Sandburg high schools raised thousands of dollars for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation on St. Patrick’s Day, with many going all out and getting their heads shaved. Leah Ellis, a counselor at Stagg, has been coordinating the Palos Hills school’s participation in the annual fundraiser…

Jamie Hannion

Sterling Estates woman charged in death of 19-month-old son

Spread the love

Spread the loveA woman from unincorporated Sterling Estates in Justice was charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment stemming from an incident involving her 19-month-old son that started in October, Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced Thursday. On Oct. 17, Sheriff’s Police responded to a residence in the 800 block of Victory Lane in unincorporated Sterling…

Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau said that plans for a band shell at Centennial Park west have been in the works for 20 years. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Centennial Park West band shell project ready to roll

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva A project that has been 20 years in the making finally is good to go. The Village of Orland Park Board of Trustees voted Monday, March 20, to give a green light to the Centennial Park West project. The revamped park will have a permanent stage to host three major…

U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-4th) announces his endorsement of the mayoral candidacy of Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson (D-1st).--Supplied photo

Taking sides in mayoral race

Spread the love

Spread the love. Clearing, Garfield Ridge endorsements start to emerge By Tim Hadac While neither Paul Vallas nor Brandon Johnson has campaigned to any significant degree in Clearing or Garfield Ridge, their supporters—including several here in the neighborhood–are starting to go public. The latest endorsement to be snagged occurred last Friday, when U.S. Rep. Jesús…

Congressman Sean Casten speaks to a crowd during a town hall meeting in Orland Park. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Casten still learning the lay of the land in the south suburbs

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Sean Casten is getting to know his new mayors. Casten, the Democratic Congressman of the revamped 6th District, has been spending a lot of time meeting 40 mayors in recent weeks after he was sworn into office in January. Casten beat out Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau in the November…

election day april 4 2023

Court’s in session for Palos Park mayoral candidates

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Yes, they are lawyers. And they know how to give a closing argument. Longtime Palos Park Commissioner Nicole Milovich-Walters and Ronette Leal McCarthy are a pair of lawyers seeking the job as mayor to take over for John Mahoney, also a lawyer, who is retiring and did not seek a…