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New Police Chief for Macomb

Courtesy photo
Pending city council approval, Jerel Jones will soon become Macomb's next police chief.

For the first time in Macomb's long history, the city will have a Black police chief.

Mayor Mike Inman said he will appoint Jerel Jones to the position. The mayor will ask the city council on Tuesday, February 16, to approve appointing Jones as Transitional Police Chief beginning March 1. Jones would then take over the department on May 3.

Jones is a lieutenant at the McDonough County Sheriff's Department. He joined the sheriff's department after serving as a lieutenant for the Bradley University Police Department in Peoria. Prior to that he worked for the Office of Public Safety at Western Illinois University.

He has worked in law enforcement for nearly 15 years.

Current Police Chief Curt Barker will retire on May 3. He worked for the department for more than 27 years, serving as chief for the past dozen years.

This story was produced by Tri States Public Radio.  TSPR relies on financial support from our 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.

Rich is TSPR's News Director.