Politics & Government

Longtime St. Charles Police Chief Lamkin to Retire Dec. 27, Take Post in Schaumburg

Lamkin has served as St. Charles' top cop for 10 years.

St. Charles Police Chief James Lamkin has announced he will retire effective Dec. 27, 2013, after serving 10 years as the city’s top law enforcement officer, and will become police chief of Schaumburg on Dec. 30, 2013, the city announced Monday.


Lamkin has more than 38 years of experience in law enforcement, including a stint as deputy chief of the Elgin Police Department before he came to the St. Charles Police Department.

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“These past 10 years have been a wonderful opportunity for me to grow personally and professionally,” Lamkin said in a release issued by the city on Monday morning. “St. Charles is a great community with much to offer our residents and visitors. As chief of police, I have enjoyed our accomplishments and give credit to all the staff at the Police Department, both sworn and non-sworn. I am very proud of everyone for their service to the community and for always respecting those we serve.”

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According to the release, Lamkin has served under three mayors and three city administrators. In his new position, Lamkin will be reunited with former City Administrator Brian Townsend, who left St. Charles in August to become village manager of Schaumburg.


“His commitment to elevating the safety and security of the community is evident by the steady decrease in calls to the Police Department for service over the last several years, with the number of calls at their lowest since 2001,” the release states. “This is a notable achievement, especially during a time of tightened budgets during the recession of the past few years.”


One of his initiatives was to improve the tactical abilities and knowledge of St. Charles officers. That included the the completion in 2012 of the Police Department’s new, full-service firing range for officers to conduct regular firearm practice and training. The release states that new range is a valuable resource for the St. Charles Police Department and 21 other area police agencies, as well as two specialized teams that regularly use the range.


Lamkin also served as chairman of the Tri-Com Board, where the city said he advanced collaboration among local police agencies “to maximize resources and improve services to the community.”


In the release, City Administrator Mark Koenen praised Lamkin’s accomplishments.


“I have worked with Jim over his 10 years at the city and am impressed with the relationships he has built both within the city and among local organizations,” Koenen said in the release. “This has resulted in first-rate emergency responses to incidents within the community. I wish him well in future professional endeavors.”


In addition to Tri-Com, Lamkin sits the boards of the Kane County Emergency Telephone Systems, Northeastern Multi-Regional Training, and the North Central Narcotics Task Force.


“I have worked hard to develop an excellent staff who will continue to serve the community in the years to come,” Lamkin said in the release. “I know I am leaving St. Charles in good hands.”


The release states that an interim appointment will be named.


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