The Geneva City Council tonight has approved the appointment of Police Commander Eric Passarelli as the City’s next Police Chief starting this spring.
The 22-year veteran of the Geneva Police Department will be replacing Police Chief Steve Mexin, who announced his retirement effective May 6. Passarelli will be working under the leadership of Stephanie Dawkins, who will become the next City Administrator, effective June 13, upon the retirement of current City Administrator Mary McKittrick.
“I am very excited and extremely humbled by this opportunity,” Commander Passarelli said. “I greatly appreciate the support I have received from Mayor Kevin Burns, the Geneva City Council and City staff. I very much look forward to partnering with them to provide our residents and visitors with outstanding service. I consider it a privilege and am honored to work side-by-side with staff the caliber of those at the Geneva Police Department. They are professional and compassionate, and their dedication to the citizens of our community is unrivaled. I look forward to building upon the solid foundation established under Chief Mexin’s leadership. I will look to expand upon already positive partnerships within the City and will work tirelessly to assure Geneva remains the safe community we all care about so deeply.”
As Commander of Police Services since 2008, Passarelli established the Police Department prescription drug disposal program and initiated the implementation of the department’s electronic crash reporting technology. His current duties involve coordinating police services for special events, oversight responsibilities for the police records division, parking enforcement, background investigations of new City employees, liquor license renewals, fleet maintenance, speed trailer requests, traffic speed studies and serving as a secondary public information officer.
“Commander Passarelli has earned the respect and trust of his teammates in the Police Department and the confidence of the community,” said Mayor Burns, who brought the appointment forward for City Council consideration. “I have no doubt he will carry on the legacy of his predecessors to ensure Geneva’s finest remain the most respected police force around.”
Passarelli joined the Geneva Police Department in 1994 and spent the next nine years in the patrol division as a field training officer, evidence technician and accident investigator. In 2005, he was promoted to Patrol Sergeant where he held the roles of field-training co-coordinator and Taser instructor.
Prior to arriving in Geneva, Passarelli started his law enforcement career in 1992 on patrol duty for the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office. He also spent 14 years as a volunteer firefighter/emergency medical technician for the Bristol-Kendall Fire Protection District.
Commander Passarelli is a graduate of Aurora University’s Management Center, Columbia College with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command. He has been a member of the Illinois Chief’s of Police Association since 2008 and has served on the executive board of the Kane County Chief’s Association since 2014, currently holding the office of president.