Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- After a quarter-century of service, Park Forest Police Chief Christopher Mannino will retire his badge. The Chief announced his plans Wednesday night on his personal Facebook account. We confirmed Chief Mannino’s plans to retire with Village Manager Tom Mick. The Manager indicated, a bit tongue in cheek, perhaps, that he “tried to reject [the Chief’s notice], but he wouldn’t budge.”
At the request of the Chief, we waited to share the news with the public. An official statement is expected from the Village Manager’s office at any time.
Mannino was appointed Police Chief by Village Manager Tom Mick in 2017.
Chief Mannino said in his statement that he will transition to the private sector, “For the past 25 years I’ve known what I was going to wear to work every single workday, but pretty soon I’ll have to figure out a civilian wardrobe.” He calls serving as a police officer “one of the greatest honors of my life,” after being a husband and a father.
“To have risen to the rank of Chief of Police, like my dad before me at his agency, only increased my awe of the men and women in this profession and my appreciation for the people who call Park Forest, Illinois, home,” the Chief wrote.
His last official day at work and his last call from SouthCom Dispatch will be March 25, 2022.
Chief Mannino has demonstrated an incredible perspective and depth as an officer and during his tenure as Chief. He has gone above and beyond. When other departments were working to suppress marches after the murder of George Floyd, Chief Mannino showed up for the march in Chicago Heights in full uniform as a participant, not as a public official policing a crowd. He ran “BLACK LIVES MATTER” on the marquis of the PD. He has worked with others in the department to rethink the approach to dealing with juvenile offenders, implementing a Saturday program to keep the youth out of the system, working to lower recidivism. Under his leadership and the team of leaders at the police department, officers have engaged with young people and adult members of the community.
We are better for his service.
We will update this story as the Village releases more information, including word on who will serve the people of Park Forest as Chief Mannino’s successor.
