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BOURBONNAIS - Bourbonnais village trustees approved naming Bourbonnais Police Commander Jason Sztuba the interim police chief at Monday’s board meeting.
The 49-year-old Sztuba replaces Deputy Chief Dave Anderson, who held the interim chief job since Chief Jim Phelps retired last year.
Anderson retired May 16 after serving with the department for 31 years.
Mayor Jeff Keast and the trustees honored Anderson with a proclamation during Monday’s meeting.
Sztuba has been on the Bourbonnais police force since December 2011.
“I’m honored to be trusted with this position in our time of transition,” Sztuba said. “Advancement within the department has always been my goal and I’m glad to be able to get the experience.”
Keast said he hopes to name a new chief within 60 days.
A U.S. Navy veteran, Sztuba started his career in law enforcement at Pontiac Correctional Center in 2009 as a correctional officer.
Prior to Bourbonnais, Sztuba started policing in January 2011 at the Chicago Heights Police Department.
Sztuba earned his associates degree at Kankakee Community College; a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Governors State University; and just graduated May 17 with a Master’s in Public Administration from GSU.
Sztuba graduated from the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command.
During his tenure at Bourbonnais, Sztuba has worked in patrol, as a field training officer, as a crisis negotiator, as a detective, patrol sergeant, patrol commander, training officer and Field Training Coordinator.
Sztuba is a member of the Kankakee County Emergency Response Team as an assistant team leader.
Sztuba and his wife, Laura, are the parents of two children. Laura is an U.S. Army veteran.