Police Chief Steve Mexin will be retiring effective May 6 after leading Geneva’s Police Department for the past eight years.

Chief Mexin decided to retire to spend more time with his family, pursue volunteer opportunities and explore other personal interests after working more than 26 years for the City of Geneva in the Police Department.

“I truly feel it has been a privilege to be a member of the Geneva Police Department all these years, and it has been my honor to serve as Chief of Police on a department made up of such fine people,” Chief Mexin said.

Chief Mexin will publicly announce his retirement at the Monday, March 7 City Council meeting, when the Mayor will appoint Commander Eric Passarelli as the City’s next Police Chief.

“Chief Mexin’s humble leadership has contributed immeasurably to Geneva’s reputation as a premier City in which to live, learn, work and play,” Mayor Kevin Burns said. “A public servant in the truest sense, Steve’s integrity, compassion and vision has helped ensure that Geneva remains a safe and secure community for people of every age.”

After being hired in 1989 as a Geneva patrol officer, Mexin worked as a field training officer, field training co-coordinator, intern program coordinator and was a member of the department’s tactical response unit. He was promoted to Patrol Sergeant in 1997, Commander of Police Services in 2002 and appointed Police Chief in 2008.

The Geneva Police Department has seen a great deal of change during Chief Mexin’s administration, including leading the department into the digital age. Paper police records dating back to the 1950s were scanned for easier access and provided more storage space. Mobile data computers were upgraded in the squad cars, and the department transitioned its booking process to be done electronically.

Chief Mexin has had to navigate fiscal challenges associated with 2008 recession and uneven economy in the years that followed.

“From day one, that has been a huge challenge to maintain the current level of services our community has come to expect with budget cuts each year,” he said. “Considering the financial obstacles that we have had to endure, Geneva has maintained an excellent level of safety.”

Since Chief Mexin took leadership of the department in 2008, major crime in Geneva is down 41 percent and theft has decreased 36 percent, according to the City’s 2015 crime statistics.

Besides supervising the Police Department’s 49 employees, Chief Mexin said building relationships within the force and the community has been one of his top priorities.

Chief Mexin has served as a member on Tri-Com Central Dispatch’s Board of Directors since 2008. His other membership affiliations include the Kane County Chiefs of Police, the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Northern Illinois Chapter of the FBI National Academy Association. He graduated from the FBI National Academy in 2005.