At the regular City Council meeting on Monday, November 21, Mayor David Brummel and the Warrenville City Council unanimously approved the appointment of Sam Bonilla as the City's next Chief of Police. Bonilla will assume the duties of Police Chief on November 28.
Bonilla most recently served as Deputy Chief of Police for the Bloomingdale Police Department, where he had a distinguished 25-year career. He served in many difference capacities at Bloomingdale, which included training coordinator, SWAT, P.O.P. Unit, Field Training Coordinator, and supervising many of Bloomingdale’s community engagement events. Bonilla has been an instructor at the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy (SLEA) in Glen Ellyn since 2011, receiving the Academy’s "Instructors of the Year" award in 2018, and he has served as a “Program Coordinator” since 2014.
“I look forward to working with the community to build a relationship of trust through community engagement, education, visibility, transparency, and accountability. I also look forward to working with the men and women of the Warrenville Police Department in fostering these ideals utilizing their values, professionalism, experience, compassion, and dedication to the community they serve. This is an exciting opportunity for all of us to work together in establishing the model Community-Police Partnership. However, when it comes down to it, I believe in keeping things simple: be proactive, be approachable, and treat everyone with respect,” he said.
“Sam is a perfect fit for our community,” said Mayor Brummel. “I am looking forward to working with him to take Warrenville's already excellent police department to the next level.”
Bonilla will oversee 33 full-time police officers and seven civilian employees in the Warrenville Police Department, which provides highly specialized services that include forensic evidence processing, major accident reconstruction, Traffic Safety Enforcement Unit (TSEU), and the Problem Oriented Policing Unit (POP).
Bonilla earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from North Central College, and earned a Juris Doctor degree from DePaul University College of Law. Bar memberships include the State of Illinois in 2005 and the U.S. District Court, Central and Northern Districts of Illinois, in 2006.
Prior to his law enforcement career, Bonilla served in the United States Marine Corps during the Gulf War and received several military awards, medals, and letters of commendation.
Bonilla succeeds Raymond Turano, who has served the City as Chief for 16 years and retires in early January.
The City of Warrenville, located approximately 30 miles west of the City of Chicago, offers its 13,553 residents small-town charm nestled in the center the dynamic and nationally recognized research and development corridor that runs through DuPage County, Illinois. Learn more at warrenville.il.us.