Forest Park Police Chief Ken Gross retired on September 30 after 26 years of service to the Village. Ken started his career right here in Forest Park in May 2000 as a probationary police officer and worked his way through the ranks, becoming Sergeant, Lieutenant, Deputy Chief and, in 2021, Chief of Police. Throughout his career, Ken continued his education and training, including graduating from Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command. As Chief, he also secured grant funding to bring body-worn cameras to every officer in the department. He also dedicated time to organizations outside the department and was a longtime supporter of the Special Olympics Torch Run and Cop on a Rooftop.

More than anything, Ken has been a dedicated public servant who cared about the Police Department and the community he served. And, of course, many of us will also remember his four-legged partner, Lemmy, who was a regular fixture at the Police Department and seemed to have his own important role on staff! We thank Ken for 26 years of service to Forest Park and wish him and his family all the best in retirement!