The Elgin Police Department is starting the new year with a new deputy chief, a new commander and 10 new police officers.

Tom Michael, a commander overseeing investigations, has been named deputy chief, succeeding Adam Schuessler, who retired last year.

Michael is a 23-year veteran with a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement and justice administration from Western Illinois University. In addition to his experience with the Investigative Division, he has worked with the Patrol Division, Major Investigations and Community Engagement.

Tom Michael, an Elgin Police Department commander overseeing investigations, has been promoted to replace Deputy Chief Adam Schuessler, who retired last year. (Elgin Police Department)

Scott Holmes, previously a lieutenant, is the department’s new commander of strategic initiatives and heads the community engagement, traffic and special events divisions. He’s been with department for 20 years and has previously been in charge of the traffic division, patrol and investigations.

He joins fellow commanders Heather Lencioni, who was appointed to the job in 2023 and oversees traffic, the Crime-Free Housing Unit, ROPE, Community Engagement, Collaborative Crisis Services Unit and Social Services, and Mike Martino, promoted in November 2025 and is in charge of major investigations, special investigations, crime analysis and the cold case unit.

“I’m very thankful for the opportunity,” Holmes said on Police Chief Ana Lalley’s “Friday with the Finest” radio show on WRMN-AM (1410). Lalley introduced Holmes to the community during the program.

Scott Holmes is the Elgin Police Department’s new commander of strategic initiatives and heads the community engagement, traffic and special events divisions. (Elgin Police Department)

“He’s going to do a really good job,” Lalley said of Holmes.

Ten new officers recently graduated from the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center and are now receiving in-house training, officials said. They will start field training in a few weeks.

The new hires were needed to replace some of the 17 officers who retired last year. As of now, the department has 203 sworn officers and 75 professional support staff.

The ranks are starting to better reflect the city’s demographics, officials said. In 2018, 80% of the force was white and the rest Black, Hispanic or another race or ethnicity. Seven years later, 59% of the force is white and 41% Black, Hispanic or another race or ethnicity.

Female officers also have higher numbers than in previous years, growing from 8% in 2018 to 34% in 2025.

Lalley said during the radio show that as the department moves into a new year, it “will remain steadfast to ensure a safe community while also continuing to build a bright future for the next generation of department members and community members.”

Part of that effort is mentoring its younger officers, which she says is one of the aspects of the job that she loves, Lalley said.

“It’s so important. As I grew up in the organization, it was very rare to get that,” she said. “It’s been a conscious effort and a mission of mine. You have to give away what you learn. For mentorship to work, you have to extend your hand to someone.”

Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/23/elgin-police-promotions-chief-commander-officers/