Meet Chief Ana Lalley
Police Chief Ana Lalley is a 23 year veteran of the Elgin Police Department. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Illinois State University and a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Administration from Loyola University, Chicago. Additionally, Chief Lalley has completed the PERF/Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP), at Boston University and Police Staff and Command, at Northwestern University.
With the changes in today’s world, Chief Lalley understands the importance of homeland security awareness. The desire to develop actionable policies and strategies in the area of homeland security has led her to pursue a second master’s degree from the Center for Homeland Defense and Security, Naval Post-Graduate School in Monterey, California.
Chief Lalley provided leadership in various capacities prior to becoming Elgin’s 35th police chief. Like many police chiefs, she climbed through all ranks of leadership, enabling her to gain a broader understanding of law enforcement operations. In her earlier years, she was assigned to the Patrol Division as a patrol officer and the Drug Unit to work undercover. Chief Lalley was sworn-in to the rank of sergeant in 2007 and lieutenant in 2010. In January of 2013, she was sworn-in as commander. At the commander level, she was responsible for all aspects of the Investigations Division, Administration Division, Patrol Division and most recently, The Strategic Initiatives Division which focuses on fostering community oriented policing strategies and developing community partnerships.
Along with her co-workers, Chief Lalley has been vital to the success of many police department achievements. From a technology standpoint, she served as project manager for the Body Worn Camera Program and the Real Time Information Center. As a community advocate, she implemented the Spanish Police Academy, Teen Citizen Police Academy, Women’s Self Defense, Coffee with a Cop, Not in our Town film viewings/community conversations. As a teacher, Chief Lalley played an integral role in the restructuring of the police department’s Explorer Program. In recognizing her dedication to law enforcement, Chief Lalley was the recipient of the Chief’s Appreciation Award, Manager of the Quarter on two occasions, and Manager of the Year.
Building relationships within the law enforcement community is also important to Chief Lalley. She is a member of the Internal Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), National Association of Woman in Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE), Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), and Kane County Chiefs of Police.
Besides her duties at the Elgin Police Department, Chief Lalley also teaches at Elgin Community College. Since 2008, she has provided students with the knowledge and skills needed to pursue a career in law enforcement. In 2001, Elgin Community College awarded Chief Lalley with a Service to Students Award.