The City of Galesburg named its next police chief today; Galesburg Police Department’s current Captain of Staff and Services Russell Idle.
Idle has worked for the GPD for the last 25 years, serving as a patrol officer, sergeant, lieutenant and was promoted to captain in 2018.
He will take over for the retiring chief of 13 years, David Christensen next month.
Idle says he has a lot to learn from Christensen who he will officially take the mantle from on September 9, after working together for the entirety of Idle’s career in Galesburg.
City Manager Todd Thompson says he’s confident Idle will excel in the role and lead the department with “integrity and accountability”.
Shortly into his pending tenure as Chief, Idle will attend a 10-week training program for police executives at the FBI Training Academy in Quantico, Virginia this October.
Idle was already to schedule to attend the training before his hiring.
Capt. Idle says citizens of Galesburg deserve nothing but “excellence” from the police department and he believes he has a role to play in that.
