SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (ILACP) would like to congratulate Beecher Police Chief Terry Lemming on winning the 2023 Chief of the Year Award. The award goes to a chief who excels in his or her own department and provides extraordinary service to the association. A committee made up of several from our 1,400+ member statewide organization determined that Chief Lemming truly embodied what it meant to be an outstanding chief worthy of awarding. His selection was approved by the ILACP Board of Officers.
Chief Lemming has spent nearly four decades in law enforcement perfecting quality policing. He started off in local law enforcement and then joined the Illinois State Police (ISP) in 1989 as a Trooper. He spent 25 years with ISP where his primary assignments were multi-jurisdictional drug task forces. Fighting back against drug abuse continued to be a focus of Chief Lemming throughout his law enforcement career. From 2004 to 2008, Chief Lemming was Illinois’ representative to the National Alliance of State Drug Enforcement Agencies, NASDEA. As a board member of NASDEA, Chief Lemming organized the national Operation Byrne Drug operation where more than 5,000 criminals were arrested nationwide in one day. Chief Lemming went on to serve as the President of the Illinois Drug Enforcement Officers Association, (IDEOA) and served as Illinois’ delegate to the National Narcotics Officers Associations Coalition from 2008 to 2018.
After retiring from the Illinois State Police, Chief Lemming was appointed Chief of Police in the City of Lockport in 2014. While there, Chief Lemming implemented a Safe Passage Program, a safe harbor drug treatment program. His efforts did not stop there as he also resurrected a dormant Chaplains Program to minister and counsel both officers and residents, while also starting the charitable organization “Lockport Love” whose mission is to help residents in time of need.
In 2022, Lemming was appointed Chief of Police in the Village of Beecher, where he currently serves. Chief Lemming quickly noticed the town did not have a drug education program in the elementary schools and went on to establish the “Too Good for Drugs” education program in Beecher schools.
“Chief Lemming came to our community as part of the ‘Linebacker Program’ when our community needed short-term executive management. However, he did not treat this as a ‘short-term gig’ and dug right into addressing the needs of our community, our department, and our officers. His involvement in the community is far beyond anything we ever expected from the chief’s position, and he has truly made a connection with our community,” stated Beecher Village Administrator Robert Barber.
“From the first phone call through his entire tenure, Chief Lemming has impressed me with his professionalism, honesty, and dedication to duty… he consistently goes above and beyond and even though he lives some distance from our community he is here for us day or night when needed. He gives up his nights and weekends to attend community events and our community members love him. His impact in this community will be felt long after he leaves us,” stated Beecher Village President Marcy Meyer.
“Chief Lemming is clearly an outstanding professional, mentor, teacher, and colleague, but I believe he should be viewed first as an outstanding leader,” wrote Elwood Police Chief Fred Hayes. “He is and has been a leader of those of us in law enforcement and a leader for the profession itself. Chief Lemming is being nominated for his leadership contributions to his department, to the ILACP, and to the State’s entire law enforcement community.”
Chief Lemming has been a long-time supporter of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and a member since 1998. He is currently the Vice-Chairman of the association’s Legislative Committee. In that role, he led the efforts by the association to fight the recreational cannabis law and make positive changes to numerous other pieces of legislation.
“Chief Lemming has the ability to see complex issues from multiple perspectives as well as articulate those perspectives, which makes him effective when negotiating or drafting bill language,” stated Lemont Police Chief Marc Maton. “He has always been an advocate of law enforcement having a voice at the Capitol and recruited me to be part of the legislative committee in 2001.”
Chief Lemming has also been an active member of the Police Chiefs Association of Will County and has been its long-serving legislative liaison.
“Chief Lemming demonstrates leadership abilities that few Chiefs and Police Executives in the State have,” wrote David Keltner, president of the Police Chiefs Association of Will County. “He is a great communicator who has participated in high-level hearings in the State of Illinois and Nationally, reference drug enforcement and drug laws. He is a people-first leader who listens to the public and those that work for him to improve the city and workplace for everyone.”
“Chief Lemming has been active in our association for several years, serving in a variety of leadership roles. Whether it be working on legislation, chairing a committee, testifying at a hearing, mentoring others, sitting on an assessment center, or assisting in resolving an issue or concern, he is always there,” stated ILACP Executive Director Kenny Winslow. “Chief Lemming is a role model for all chiefs. He is well respected and held in high regard by his peers from around the state for his work ethic, knowledge, and experience. His ‘can-do attitude’ and ‘willingness to think outside of the box’ along with his servant leadership style and magnetic personality are contagious. He is a leader who embraces best practices and embodies putting the needs of others first, including those of the communities he has served, as well as those of his officers. While Terry is a great police chief, he is even a better person, and is more than deserving of this award.”
We would like to congratulate Chief Lemming on earning the 2023 Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police Chief of the Year Award. Chief Lemming is a fantastic reflection of what Chiefs should aspire to be in their cities. We know he will continue to serve the association as well as the residents of the great state of Illinois with professionalism, heart, and dedication.
Here is a list of previous winners of ILACP’s Chief of the Year award, which was first presented in 2016.
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