[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 130 (Tuesday, September 25, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1656]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                   HONORING POLICE CHIEF DAN McCOLLUM

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANIEL LIPINSKI

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 25, 2012

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Police Chief Dan 
McCollum, who will celebrate his 40th year in law enforcement on 
September 25, 2012. To show their appreciation for his service, the 
Village of La Grange Park will host a reception in his honor.
  Throughout his 40 years in law enforcement, including 16 years as 
Police Chief in La Grange Park, Chief McCollum has served residents 
around Illinois and in Corvallis, Oregon. In his work to protect his 
community he has gained a reputation as a professional and honest 
public servant, consistently demonstrating his strong character. For 
example, in 1979 when he was a young police chief, his squad car broke 
down on a rural road in central Illinois during a blizzard. Surrounded 
by the severe, rapidly approaching storm, he chose not to wait for a 
passing car, but sought shelter at the nearest house. Although he had 
made previous arrests at this residence prior to the storm, Chief 
McCollum took his chances. The storm was so severe, that he would end 
up staying with the residents for two days until the storm had finally 
passed. It is this ability to develop relationships even in the face of 
adversity that sets him apart, and allowed him to earn his position as 
the youngest police chief in the state at age 24 in Villa Grove, 
Illinois, and eventually his current post as chief in La Grange Park.
  Chief McCollum now serves the 13,000 residents of the Village of La 
Grange Park, just as he has since 1996. He and the rest of the Police 
Department are committed to maintaining peace in La Grange Park by 
safeguarding the community and forming bonds of trust with those they 
protect. Chief McCollum believes that to be an officer in LaGrange 
Park, one must be oriented toward public service and should be a 
problem-solver in the community. His leadership drives this police 
force and is an important reason why the residents of La Grange Park 
have so much respect for their police.
  As the La Grange Park Police Chief, Dan McCollum has been recognized 
on several occasions for his dedication to past and present police 
officers and public safety. Chief McCollum was appointed President for 
the Illinois Association of Law Enforcement Executives and has since 
served in this position for the past three years. Working within this 
non-profit organization, he has helped to provide more opportunities 
for professional training and advancement of current and retired law 
enforcement members. He has also received the 2008 Governor's Lifetime 
Achievement Award from the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and 
Standards Board in Springfield.
  Away from the stress of the police station, Chief McCollum has also 
led a fulfilling personal life. He is a former rock and roll musician, 
an avid fisherman, and an exceptional cook. Dan's wife, Nancy, and his 
three children, Sarah, Matthew, and Patrick, will be very proud to see 
him honored for his longtime service.
  Please join me in honoring Police Chief Dan McCollum for his 
dedicated service to the La Grange Park community on the occasion of 
his 40th year of service. May he continue to be a stalwart public 
servant in La Grange Park for years to come.

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