Fon du Lac Park District board has fired its police chief

The police chief of the Fon du Lac Park District was fired last week after being placed on administrative leave the week before.

Chance Barlow served as chief throughout 2023, having replaced longtime chief Mike Johnson at the beginning of the year. Barlow was a former Peoria firefighter and member of the Illinois Air National Guard who served for nearly 30 years in the 182nd Airlift Wing based in Peoria.

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Park District director Craig Weigle said that Barlow was fired by the Board of Commissioners, who set up a special meeting Friday to discuss the matter and to take action against Barlow. No other comment was provided on the reasons for Barlow's firing, as it was considered a personnel matter.

Officer Glen Neil, a four-year veteran of the department and former Peoria Heights police officer, is serving as interim chief until Wednesday, when Dale Orr, a 20-year veteran of the East Peoria Police Department, will assume the interim role.

No timetable has been set for the hiring of a new permanent chief.

The district provides oversight of parks in East Peoria, providing over 1,600 acres of parks and facilities for use by the public. The police department also assists law enforcement in operations along the river, with several boats and a hovercraft available to use.

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This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Fon du Lac Park District police chief fired