The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County has a new police chief.

Longtime Chicago Police veteran Martin Gainer is new police chief of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.

Gainer started in his new position last week.

“Mr. Gainer brings a breadth and depth of experience to the position, and we’re thrilled to have him join the District,” said Forest Preserve District of DuPage County President Joe Cantore.

He retired as a sergeant with the Chicago Police Department in September 2010 after 26 years on the force. He worked in the 21st, 4th and 22nd districts and served in the department’s organized crime unit, Drug Enforcement Administration taskforce, intelligence section and technical service unit, investigating narcotics and violent crimes.

In 2003 he was promoted to sergeant; in 2007 he returned to the 22nd District as a beat team sergeant, coordinating neighborhood Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy meetings. In May 2009 he became community relations sergeant.

After retiring from the Chicago Police Department, Gainer taught criminal justice classes online for Kaplan University. He has a bachelor’s degree in criminal and social justice from Lewis University and a MBA in training and performance management from St. Xavier University.

Gainer served in the U.S. Army for three years.

Gainer comes from a long line of family members in law enforcement. There has been at least one member of the Gainer family serving in the Chicago Police Department since 1907, when Gainer’s grandfather joined the force.

Gainer’s four older brothers also worked for the department. His brother Terry served as sergeant-at-arms of the U.S. Senate from 2007-14.

— Chicago Police veteran new DuPage Forest District top cop —