Mayor John Thornton appointed Chambers chief on June 1 2005. On Tuesday night at a village board meeting, he said he wanted to make a new appointment for the remainder of his term, which expires next year.
He made a motion not to renew a contract with Chambers and named Calvin Hammonds as Chamber's replacement. The six-member board unanimously voted in favor of the new appointment.
Hammonds is currently a police sergeant with the department.
Chambers was not present at the meeting and could not immediately be reached for comment.
Thornton said he made the change "because morale in the department is way down. We need to pick up the morale in the department and hire people who live in our community. We took a chance with outsiders. But I have decided that I want to keep it at home."
Before coming to Washington Park, Chambers was a longtime member of the East St. Louis Police Department and a former chief there.
Thornton said crime is out of control in the village, and more needs to be done to get a handle on it.
"We have a lot of break-ins at residences. An elderly lady, who I believe is 80 years old, has had her home broken into four times. This is a big concern for me," he said.
Hammonds also said that improving morale is a priority. He said the police department "must take back the streets and make them safe for residents and visitors."
Hammonds worked as a cadet in East St. Louis from 1972-1974. He named former Washington Park Police Chief Wendell Wilson as his deputy chief.
Wilson, a 21-year veteran of the department, is currently a part time shift commander with the rank of sergeant.
Like Hammonds and Thornton, Wilson said something has to be done to get a handle on the crime that is occurring in Washington Park.
"When I was chief before, we had gotten things under control. We're going to have to pick up the pace and again get crime under control. It's running rampant," Wilson said.
Thornton said Hammond's appointment would take effect immediately.
