August 31, 2020
Carbondale Police Chief Jeff Grubbs Announces Retirement
Today, it is with mixed emotions that I announce my retirement as the Chief of Police of the City of Carbondale Police Department, effective September 30, 2020, the completion of my 29th year as a Carbondale Police Officer. It has truly been an honor to serve as the Police Chief for the last six years and represent the men and women of the City of Carbondale Police Department. I can confidently say our officers are some of the most highly trained, well-educated and most dedicated officers you will find anywhere. Our officers not only care about the community they police, but the level of professionalism they display daily is truly remarkable.
My challenge for the Department members is to continue to work hard, continue to listen and continue to learn. Above all else, continue to do the right thing, even when it’s not the easiest or most popular thing to do. I have witnessed our police officers work through some of the most tragic, horrific events which has happened to people. I have watched as they work tirelessly to seek and continue to seek justice for those families who now have no one else to rely upon to find that for them. My confidence level in them is high. I know they will continue to do the right things and will continue to seek justice for all of those for whom we work so desperately hard to protect and serve daily.
My challenge for the community is to continue to be supportive of your police officers. Our police officers not only want your support, they need your support. Please become or continue to be active in your community. Try to find ways to partner with and get to know your police officers. I am confident if you do, you will see just how lucky we all are to have the brave men and women we have who work so hard for all of us. We also have to recognize we are all in this together and therefore moving forward requires all of us. So, together is how we must proceed if we are going to better our community as a whole. Every one of us needs and deserves to be protected. We need a good, strong, brave and diverse police department. For that to happen, we must all actively recruit and find ways to retain the best and the brightest officers for our community. We should expect and we deserve nothing less as people.
I am confident in the men and women of the Carbondale Police Department. I know they will continue to work with the community to build and rebuild trust. I am confident in the community. I know they will continue to be supportive of the police department. I challenge each of you to continue to grow partnerships between the police department, the community and with all of those who live, work, visit and shop in our City and attend school at our great university – SIU Carbondale.
I have spent my entire adult life as a police officer in this great community and I am very lucky to have worked for and beside some of the most dedicated and honorable police officers you can find anywhere. I am appreciative of the personal relationships which have been developed with so many people across the police profession, the community and the university. There are so many great people out there on all fronts, doing the right thing and working hard for everyone’s benefit. Become one of them if you are not already.
While I do not yet know what it may be, I look forward to what the next chapter in life may hold for me. It is certainly my intent to continue to be visible in and supportive of the community and the university. I will continue to pray for the safety of our community, our police officers and all of our public safety professionals.
May God bless each of you and may God keep you safe.
Sincerely –
Chief Jeffrey M. Grubbs
Carbondale Police Chief
Chief Jeff Grubbs is a 29 year veteran of the Carbondale Police Department and holds both Bachelor and Master Degrees from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He is a graduate of the 235th Session of the FBI National Academy and the 77th Session of the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development programs in Quantico, VA. Chief Grubbs is an Executive Board member of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, the Illinois Law Enforcement Training & Standards Board, MTU15 and Jackson County 911.