The Three-Person Board That Shapes Rock Island Public Safety
- Annika OMelia
- 45 minutes ago
- 3 min read
In response to a recent set of slides examining the demographics of our police and fire departments, several readers asked an important question: who is actually responsible for hiring our public safety workforce?
The answer is not the Mayor or City Council. It is not Human Resources. While the Police and Fire Chiefs play a role in certain promotional and disciplinary matters, the formal authority over hiring, promotions, and serious discipline rests with the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners — a three-member body established under Illinois law.
Understanding the role and authority of this commission is essential to understanding how our public safety institutions are shaped over time.
Commission Members Since 2000
John Hass — 1977–2018
Dr. John Hildreth — 1982–Present
Eric Schwarz — 1994–2002
Gene Anderson — 2002–2012
Vanessa Trice — 2012–2020
John Wright — 2020-Present
Greg Hass — 2018-Present
Current Term Expirations
John Wright — term expires April 2026
Dr. John Hildreth — term expires April 2027
Greg Hass — term expires April 2028
Board Structure
The Board consists of three members who take an oath of office. Members are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council and serve four-year terms. Members continue to serve until a successor is appointed and confirmed, meaning a term expiration does not automatically result in turnover.
A majority (two members) constitutes a quorum.
In police promotional decisions, each commissioner has one vote and the Police Chief has two votes. Promotional structures in the Fire Department follow the Illinois Fire Department Promotion Act.
While Rock Island’s ordinance does not separately restate a residency requirement, the Board operates under the Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/10-2.1-1 et seq.), which requires commissioners to be residents of the municipality.
Responsibilities
The Rock Island Board of Fire and Police Commissioners is responsible for overseeing the hiring, promotion, and discipline of all sworn police officers and firefighters in the city.
The Board conducts and administers competitive examinations for applicants, establishes eligibility lists, and makes official appointments to both departments in accordance with Illinois law. It oversees promotional processes, working in conjunction with the department chiefs to evaluate and select candidates for advancement.
The Board also serves as a quasi-judicial body in disciplinary matters, hearing formal charges against certified officers, ruling on suspensions, demotions, or removals, and acting as an appeal board for certain disciplinary actions imposed by the chiefs.
In short, the Commission functions as the independent gatekeeper of entry, advancement, and accountability within Rock Island’s police and fire departments.
Why This Matters
Public safety jobs are publicly funded, stable, and influential. They are often pathways into the middle class and carry significant authority within a community. The structure that governs who is hired, who is promoted, and how discipline is handled shapes not only department culture but also public trust.
Because the Board controls eligibility lists, examination processes, and promotional systems, its decisions influence the composition and leadership of our police and fire departments over time. Its structure — three appointed members serving multi-year terms — means that continuity or change within the Commission can have lasting effects.
Civic literacy strengthens accountability. The more residents understand how authority is structured, the more effectively we can engage in conversations about recruitment, representation, leadership, and public safety outcomes.
Transparency helps communities ask better questions — and better questions lead to better governance.
Thank you to the Rock Islanders who have faithfully served on this critical commission.
If you would like to learn more about the ordinance establishing the Police and Fire Commission for Rock Island, you can review Article VI, Division 3 of the City Code.
You can also view additional information on the City of Rock Island’s website under the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners page.