Crime & Safety

Huntley's Police Ranks Increase by Two

Two new officers sworn in at village hall Thursday night.

Timothy Heagney Jr. graduated from Huntley High School and worked as a lifeguard at the Huntley Park District’s Stingray Bay pool.

Now, he’ll be patrolling the streets of his hometown as one of Huntley Police Department’s newest officers.

Heagney is one of two new officers on the police department. Heagney and Alexander Panvino were sworn in Thursday night with family and fellow officers in attendance.

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“We are excited to have them, we can certainly use their help,” Police Chief John Perkins said.

Perkins thanked the Village Board for approving the first new hires in three years, upping the department’s number of sworn officers to 32 — one shy of a full force.

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“Our budget is tight and you still find a way to get our ranks up to where they are supposed to be,” Perkins said, adding the department appreciates the board’s support.

Heagney must complete 12 weeks at a police academy in Glen Ellyn then will return to Huntley to complete four months of field training.

“I wanted to get to this point since I was in high school,” Heagney said. “I’m really happy to be here.”

The 23-year-old graduated with a degree in education from Loyola University in Chicago. He worked as a substitute teacher in Arlington Heights and is a second lieutenant in the Army National Guard.

Panvino, 26, is expected to start his field training next week. He is already an Illinois certified officer who worked in the Fox River Grove Police Department. He grew up in Hampshire and graduated from Jacobs High School in Algonquin. He also worked as a community service officer in Algonquin.

“We are lucky to have him here with us, already certified,” Perkins said.

Panvino and Heagney both were involved with the Algonquin Police Explorers Post 104. Officer Mike Seegers runs the program and attended the swearing-in ceremony for the two former Explorers.

“You did a good job with them, Mike,” Perkins said during the ceremony.

The two were offered a job on the same day.

“It’s an exciting moment to see my two former Explorers who came through the door at age 15 and 16 get here,” Seegers said later. He said Post 104 has a good track record, graduating six Explorers who’ve gone on to become police officers.

The new officers likely will be assigned to one of Huntley’s geographic beats and will become familiar with residents in those neighborhoods.


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