New Highland police chief sworn in, open house hosted for public safety building

Sustained applause and cheers drowned out the city council meeting after Carole Presson took the oath of office swearing to uphold the Constitution of the United States and serve the city of Highland as police chief.

Presson, 52, retired from the Madison County Sheriff’s Department in 2019 after more than 22 years as lieutenant with a specialty in investigations involving child abuse, sex crimes, delinquency and homicide involving minors. She served on the Major Case Squad for multi-jurisdictional homicide investigations and worked with the Madison County Child Advocacy Center and other law enforcement cooperatives.

Prior to her time in the sheriff’s department, Presson served with the Madison Police Department as a patrol officer. Since retiring, she has been training coordinator at the police academy at Southwestern Illinois College and is working on her Ph.D in criminal justice.

“I don’t know that I have the ability to retire,” Presson said when she was first offered the job. She said she is a “firm believer in public service” and looks forward to leading the Highland Police Department through a time of many changes.

Among the changes taking place in the department: An imminent move to the new public safety building, which combines the police and fire departments in a newly-built $6.5 million facility. The city held an open house for the public Oct. 31, but Presson said they are not yet operating out of the new building.

“We are not in the building yet due to scheduling for the movement of electronic equipment,” she said. “We will be gradually moving nonessential items from the existing building to the new building between now and Nov. 30-Dec. 1, when the equipment will be relocated.”

Mayor Kevin Hemann said Presson has already begun the transition to taking over the department.

“We’re all excited about her coming to join us,” he said after Presson took the oath. “Let’s all give her our support.”

Shortly before taking the oath Nov. 1, the city council unanimously approved Presson’s contract hiring her to replace former chief Chris Conrad, who became city manager in May after serving as interim city manager for several months.