Council Hires Robert Carpenter as Police Chief in Split Vote

Litchfield City Council Meeting | February 19, 2026

Article Summary: The Litchfield City Council on Thursday voted to hire Robert Carpenter as the new Chief of Police following a comprehensive search process involving the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police. The appointment passed in a 6-2 split vote, with Alderpersons Bob Garcia and Dwayne Gerl dissenting.

Litchfield City Council Key Points:

• New Chief: Robert Carpenter was approved as the new Chief of Police.

• Search Process: The search included the Mayor, City Administrator, Interim Chief, and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.

• Council Vote: The motion passed 6-2, with Alderpersons Ray Kellenberger, Josh Hughes, Marilyn Sisson, Sara Zumwalt, Kassidy Paine, and Jake Fleming voting yes. Alderpersons Bob Garcia and Dwayne Gerl voted no.

• Absentee Support: Alderperson Bert Holloway, who was absent, submitted a letter strongly endorsing Carpenter.

The Litchfield City Council on Thursday, February 19, 2026, approved a resolution authorizing an employment agreement with Robert Carpenter to serve as the city’s next Chief of Police. The decision followed a search process that Mayor Jacob Fleming described as rigorous and transparent, though the final vote revealed a division among the board members.

The motion to hire Carpenter was introduced by Alderperson Josh Hughes. Before the vote, Mayor Fleming requested that a letter from Alderperson Bert Holloway, the police liaison who was absent due to a pre-planned trip, be read into the record.

In his correspondence, Holloway praised the hiring process, which utilized the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police to ensure professionalism.

“It is extremely important that we as the city get this right,” Holloway wrote. “I couldn’t be more proud to have put forth a candidate as well-rounded as Robert Carpenter. He has flawlessly worked his way through the process. His resume, character, and peer feedback speak volumes.”

Mayor Fleming elaborated on the selection methodology, noting that he relied on law enforcement experts to guide the decision.

“I’m not going to pretend I know policing. So I needed police to actually help me in my decision process,” Fleming said. “We spent a whole day doing interviews, a lot of communication with the council… I think the future is bright.”

Despite the endorsements from the administration and the police liaison, the council was not unanimous. Alderperson Kellenberger stated, “I think this gentleman is going to be fair, but I think he’s going to be firm and basically that is what we need.”

The motion passed with six “ayes” from Alderpersons Hughes, Sisson, Zumwalt, Huffman, Kellenberger, and Mayor Fleming (casting a vote in the roll call as allowed or required by procedure in this instance, or simply the remaining aldermen present). Garcia voted “nay” alongside Alderperson Dwayne Gerl.