The St. Charles City Council has unanimously approved the appointment of James T. Keegan as new St. Charles police chief.

Keegan’s first day will be June 30 and he will be sworn in as Chief on July 7.

Keegan previously serves as Streamwood chief since 2011 and had been with that department for 21 years while rising through the ranks.

“We conducted a thorough and comprehensive search of candidates throughout the area before choosing Chief Keegan,” said St. Charles city administrator Mark Koenen. “I’m confident he has the experience and foresight to lead the St. Charles Police Department and uphold the high standards of service our community has come to expect.”

Keegan’s major accomplishments in Streamwood include participating in the planning and construction of a new $12 million police facility; leading the revision of the village’s Comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan; implementing bar-coded evidence processing and upgrading in-car computer systems for the entire police fleet.

Keegan succeeds former Chief Jim Lamkin retired in December.

“I am both honored and humbled to be selected as the next Chief of Police in the City of St. Charles,” Keegan said. “I am anxious to get started in working alongside the fine men and women of the St. Charles Police Department in providing our citizens, businesses and visitors with the best possible community-oriented public services we have to offer.”

Keegan holds an A.A. from William Rainey Harper College, Palatine; a B.A. from Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago; and an M.S. from National Louis University, Chicago.

–News Bulletin news sources