Crime & Safety
Tinley Park Police Deputy Chief Chosen as Mokena's New Top Cop
Tinley Park Deputy Chief Steve Vaccaro will move into Mokena and assume the role of police chief. Current Chief Randy Rajewski will retire after 30 years with the department.
Mokena will soon have a new police chief—and the name might sound familiar.
Tinley Park Police Deputy Chief Steve Vaccaro has been chosen to fill the vacancy left by retiring Chief Randy Rajewski. Village trustees will vote Monday on Vaccaro's appointment.
“We could not have found a better person. He knows our area,” Fleischer told Sun-Times reporters. “Mokena is a lot like Tinley Park. He understands the growth that Mokena will be going through."
The search for a new chief attracted 80 applicants, which was recently narrowed down to two finalists. Vaccaro was chosen by a committee that included Rajewski, village administrator John Downs, two elected officials, one member of the police and fire commission, and one citizen, according to the report.
Vaccaro has been with Tinley Park since 1990, according to his LinkedIn profile. He also serves as president of the Police Chiefs Association of Will County, a post previously held by Rajewski in 2012.
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