45-year-old Belleville native to head police department, replacing first Black chief
.jpg "Belleville Ward 7 Alderman Dennis Weygandt, far left in orange, shakes hands with Capt. Mark Heffernan, who was promoted to assistant police chief at a City Council meeting on Monday night. Looking on are Police Chief Bill Clay, left, who will become director of human resources; and Assistant Police Chief Matt Eiskant, who is taking Clay’s place.")
Belleville City Council followed Mayor Patty Gregory’s recommendation and appointed Police Chief Bill Clay as human resources director at its meeting Monday night.
That paved the way for aldermen to also promote Assistant Police Chief Matt Eiskant to police chief and Capt. Mark Heffernan to assistant police chief.
Gigi Dowling Urban will return to her part-time job of administrative liaison to the mayor. She’s been working in human resources since April, when director Seth Miller resigned.
Clay said he had planned to retire in 2023, when he would be eligible for his full state pension, but that Gregory asked him to become human relations director because of his experience. Belleville Police Department handles most of its own recruiting, screening and other personnel matters.
The plan was acceptable to Clay, 67, who made Belleville history as the city’s first Black police officer in 1995 and first Black police chief in 2007, with several other firsts in between.
“I’ve done 15 years in the hot seat as chief of police,” he said Monday night. “I’m ready to not be in the hot seat anymore.”
Clay said he isn’t complaining and he has enjoyed his time as police chief, but it’s a stressful, 24/7 job that requires a person to be “married” to his or her phone. With the new position, he expects to spend more time with his wife, two grown children and seven grandchildren.
Clay said that since he’s retiring from law enforcement a year early, he will receive 72.5% of his current $135,846 annual salary in pension payments instead of the full 75%. That comes to about $98,488 a year.
Clay also will earn $76,500 a year as human resources director. Salaries are going from $129,672 to $135,739 for Eiskant and $109,793 to $129,756 for Heffernan.
21 years on police force
Eiskant, 45, graduated from Belleville East High School in 1995. He earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and criminal justice in 1999 at the Lindenwood University campus in St. Charles, Missouri, and a master’s in criminal justice in 2006 at the university’s former Belleville campus.
Eiskant worked 10 months for St. Charles County Department of Corrections before joining Belleville Police Department in 2001. He rose through the ranks, including more than 10 years in the detective division, and became assistant police chief in 2018.
“I feel great,” Eiskant said after Monday night’s meeting.
“Being a chief of police in my hometown ... It’s just awesome. This is where I grew up. This is where I live. This is where I play. This is where my family is. I’m proud, and I’m just happy to be able to serve my community.”
Eiskant said he and Clay have often discussed goals for the police department, and increasing the number of officers is key to all of them, a process that started recently with eight new hires.
Personnel changes related to Clay, Eiskant, Heffernan and Urban were the main agenda items for Monday night’s meeting.
Before the vote, Ward 3 Alderman Kent Randle asked for an executive session to discuss the appointments privately. The public was allowed to return an hour later. The City Council voted 13-0, with Randle abstaining. Ward 3 Alderman Scott Ferguson and Ward 2 Alderwoman Carmen Duco were absent.
The personnel changes will take place in two weeks.
Roots in federal investigation
Clay joined Belleville Police Department in 1995, following a U.S. Justice Department investigation that found civil rights problems had resulted in the city never hiring a Black police officer.
That kicked off a string of firsts for Clay, including first Black sergeant, first Black lieutenant, first Black captain and first Black police union leader in Belleville. As police chief, he oversees about 100 employees.
Clay’s new position is officially director of human resources and community development.
“The one thing that I really, really like ... He’s had very unique H.R. demands of the police department,” Gregory told the BND Sunday in explaining her recommendation. “And for years on the day-to-day basis, Chief Clay has managed most of the department’s H.R. needs.
“He’s very familiar with discipline, mediation and contract negotiations.”
Gregory said Clay was instrumental in getting the police union’s new contract approved at the beginning of the year. The changes included increasing wages 28% for the night shift, from $55,549 to $71,270 a year.
Clay is a Chicago native. His wife, Shenita, retired in 2015 as a civil servant at Scott Air Force Base. They met in the U.S. Air Force before he served as a police officer in South Dakota.
As for Eiskant, Gregory pointed to his experience working with patrol officers, detectives, special operations and community organizations. She praised his “loyalty and commitment” to the city.
Heffernan joined the police department in 2004. Gregory hired Urban for the liaison position shortly after defeating former longtime Mayor Mark Eckert in the 2021 election.
This story was originally published June 7, 2022 at 11:28 AM.
