Freeport Police Chief Chris Shenberger set to retire in October

FREEPORT, Ill. (WTVO) — Freeport Police Chief Chris Shenberger is set to retire on October 24th, concluding nearly three decades of service in law enforcement.

Shenberger began his career with the Freeport Police Department as an intern in 1997 and was hired as a patrolman in 1998. He rose through the ranks to become Chief of Police in 2023.

“It’s hard to leave the police department because I really enjoy being in the building. I enjoy the people there. They’re like family to me,” Shenberger said.

Shenberger expressed that reaching the age of retirement prompted his decision to step away from law enforcement and explore new career opportunities.

“This gives me an opportunity to transition to a career outside of law enforcement. To step into a different role,” he explained.

One of Shenberger’s proudest achievements as chief was increasing the department’s staffing levels, a feat he attributes to the collective efforts of his team.

“It’s not something I did myself. It’s something that took all of us,” he noted.

Shenberger hopes to be remembered as someone who treated people with respect and cared deeply about the police department and the city.

“It’s just important for everyone to remember me as, you know, somebody who cared. I really did care about the police department. Cared a lot about the city,” he said.

As Shenberger prepares to leave his post, he assures that a succession plan is in place for an interim chief, ensuring a smooth transition for the department.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WTVO. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WTVO staff before being published.