Police Chief Casstevens retiring

Buffalo Grove Police Chief Steve Casstevens will retire in November.

Casstevens has been Buffalo Grove’s top cop for nine years and has been in law enforcement for 46 years working in law enforcement. His retirement takes effect Nov.11.

            During his time in Buffalo Grove Casstevens’ accomplishments include the creation of the Community Relations Unit (CRU), which is aimed at building trust between the police and the community. The CRU utilizes dedicated police officers and a police social worker to actively engage with community members for safety education and programming. He also implemented a department-wide Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) to provide personnel with the tools needed to intervene and/or prevent crisis incidents whenever possible. 

            “I want to thank Steve for his years of service to Buffalo Grove. He has served the community well and his work has been outstanding.  Steve will be missed in the Village of Buffalo Grove,” Village President Beverly Sussman said.

            Casstevens served as president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) (2019-2020) and president of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (ILACP) (2016-2017). He adopted 10 Core Principles from ILACP and NAACP for Buffalo Grove and was one of the first departments to complete the IACP ‘One Mind’ campaign, which prioritizes mental health first aid for law enforcement professionals, along with CIT training.

            State Senator Adriane Johnson worked directly with Casstevens while previously serving as a member of the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners.

            "Chief Casstevens has been at the forefront of innovation in policing for years, demonstrated by the programs and initiatives he implemented in Buffalo Grove,” she said. “I witnessed first-hand his dedication to giving back to the profession through his leadership roles on the State, national and international levels.”

            Casstevens began his law enforcement career in the Military Police with the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne. He later spent 30 years with the Hoffman Estates Police Department, retiring as assistant police chief. He then served as police chief in Cary from 2011 – 2013, prior to being hired as police chief in Buffalo Grove. Additionally, he served as an adjunct instructor at Northwestern University’s Center for Public Safety for 17 years.  

“Steve’s leadership has made the Police Department and our community a better place,” Village Manager Dane Bragg said. “His creativity, passion for law enforcement, and commitment to the highest standards are second to none.”

            The village will conduct an extensive search and recruitment this summer to find Casstevens’ successor. Internal and external candidates will be encouraged to apply. 

            “I have been honored to serve this noble profession for four-and-a-half decades and I have been truly blessed to serve as police chief in Buffalo Grove,” Casstevens said. “As a team, we have accomplished so much in advancing professionalism in the department with training, technology, and making certain we hire the best of the best to serve this great community.”

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