Joliet Fires First-Ever Female Police Chief after 8 Months

After just over half a year as the head of the Joliet Police Department, Dawn Malec has been released of her duties, as first reported by our sister station 1340 WJOL.

Malec was the first female police chief in the history of the city.

The City did not give much information in their press release:

Joliet City Manager Jim Capparelli announces Police Chief Dawn Malec’s employment with the Joliet Police Department has ended effective immediately. The City of Joliet thanks former Chief Malec for her years of dedicated service to the Joliet community and wishes her will well in her future endeavors. The City Manager will name an Acting Police Chief shortly.  The Joliet Police Department is committed to providing the highest quality of police service to our community.

Malec isn’t a stranger to the Joliet police force, having been with the JPD for over 25 years as her bio on the JPD website describes:

Dawn Malec, Chief of Police

Chief Dawn M. Malec is currently the Chief of Police in Joliet and has been with the department since 1994. Chief Malec had spent most of her career in Patrol Operations.  She was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2009, lieutenant in 2014 and Chief in 2021. Chief Malec earned a Master of Science Degree in Public Safety Administration with honors in 2020 from Lewis University. Chief Malec has received various honors during her career and has three children.