Todd Tedrow likes to joke that when he was in college, he looked for a major that involved the least amount of math.
“They said law enforcement, and I said that’s fine, that’s the route I’ll go,” he said. “But once I got involved in the classes, it really seemed like a good fit.”
That route has now taken him to the head of the Macomb Police Department. Tedrow was sworn in as chief Monday night after the city council unanimously approved his appointment.
Tedrow had served as interim chief since October after previous chief Jeff Hamer stepped down to pursue opportunities in the private sector.
“I appreciate the trust and the support that everybody’s given me over these past six months, and I do not take it lightly. Nobody has higher expectations for the police department than I do,” Tedrow said.
Tedrow has spent nearly 17 years with the Macomb Police Department, where he has worked in patrol supervision and criminal investigations. He has also served as the Strategic Response Team commander, a range officer, a field training officer, and a K-9 handler.
He previously worked part-time for two years with the Pike County Sheriff’s Office after doing an internship there.
Tedrow said the law enforcement offices today receive more calls about people suffering from mental health issues than in the past.
“We try to prepare for that the best we can with training our officers to handle those situations,” Tedrow said, adding that the department also now has a social services coordinator.
The chief said one of his priorities will be recruitment and retention. The department is authorized to have up to 25 officers. Currently, eight of the officers are women, which he said is the largest number in the department’s history.
Tedrow said the department has a good foundation and he hopes to continue developing it.
He said during his time as interim chief, the department took a “deep dive” into where it stands with technology and equipment.
“I think the main goal right now is to make sure we run as efficiently as possible and how we can leverage the new equipment and tech to do that,” he said.
He said the department will embrace AI technology and use it responsibly.
Tedrow’s starting salary as chief is $105,707 plus compensation for longevity.
Tri States Public Radio produced this story. TSPR relies on financial support from readers and listeners in order to provide coverage of the issues that matter to west central Illinois, southeast Iowa, and northeast Missouri. As someone who values the content created by TSPR's news department please consider making a financial contribution.
