Assistant Belleville police chief to take charge while Eiskant undergoes treatment
.jpg "Matt Eiskant, right, and Mark Heffernan, second from right, are shown after a Belleville City Council meeting in 2022, when they were promoted to police chief and assistant chief, respectively. Eiskant replaced Bill Clay, second from left.")
Belleville Assistant Police Chief Mark Heffernan will serve as acting chief while Police Chief Matt Eiskant undergoes treatment for a medical issue.
Under Illinois law, certain actions can only be taken by a police chief, and the city wants to ensure that someone is always available to take those actions, according to Eiskant.
On Wednesday, Eiskant said his treatment may cause him to be unavailable at times. He’s still working “light duty.”
“I have a serious medical condition that is being treated by physicians, but I’m very confident that it will be cured,” he said.
Eiskant, 49, estimates he will be finished with treatment and back to regular duty in two or three months.
“My No. 1 goal right now is to get healthy,” he said.
The Belleville City Council appointed Eiskant as police chief in 2022 on the recommendation of former Mayor Patty Gregory. He previously served as assistant chief under former Chief Bill Clay, who now serves as human resources director.
Aldermen appointed Heffernan as acting chief at a City Council meeting this month.
“I’m certainly ready and willing to continue the business of moving the department forward, but I also view it as a way that I can help Chief Eiskant focus on his health and allow him to concentrate on that and get back to the department as soon as he can,” he said.
Heffernan later added, “Not only is Matt the chief, but he’s a very good friend of mine, and we’re just all doing what we can to support him.”
Heffernan, 45, joined the Belleville Police Department in 2004 as a midnight patrolman. He was assigned to investigations three years later and worked as a detective until 2016, reaching the rank of master sergeant.
Heffernan then led a patrol unit as a lieutenant before being appointed as captain in 2018 and assistant chief in 2022.
Belleville Mayor Jenny Gain Meyer echoed Eiskant’s comments, saying the city had to name an acting chief so the police department could function at full capacity.
“We’re keeping positive thoughts and thinking of Matt every day,” she said.
This story was originally published February 12, 2026 at 5:30 AM.
