Woodridge Chief of Police Set to Retire After 30 Years

Police Chief Gina Grady, who has spent all three decades of her law enforcement career with the Village of Woodridge, will be retiring from her position Wednesday, according to a village press release.

Grady is in her third year as the leader of her staff after having been sworn in as Chief of Police in September of 2013. Prior to the appointment, she served the community as a patrol officer, sergeant and deputy chief of police. She began her career in law enforcement in 1986.

Mayor Gina Cunningham-Picek recognized Grady at the last Village Board meeting, stating her gratitude for Grady’s service to the community.

“I’d like to express our appreciation and thanks for all your outstanding policing and leadership over the past 30 years,” she said, according to the release.

Days before her retirement, Grady spoke about what she loved most about her job in Woodridge: change.

She said seeing new hires join the police force and grow and advance within the department brought her the most satisfaction throughout the years.

“I always want the best for all the officers, and seeing them achieve their goals makes me proud,” she said.

She also recalled days when most roads in Woodridge were two-lane, not four, when I-355 hadn’t been constructed yet, and how she witnessed the building of several new subdivisions in the village.

“The job itself went from using a three-part carbon copy form to all computerized reports, and no one has white-out anymore,” she said, joking.

Only about a quarter of sworn law enforcement officers were women in 2008, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The industry still suffers from gender inequality in the workplace.

Grady was recognized continually throughout her career, but in April 2014 was lauded as a Leading Woman in Law Enforcement by the Illinois Comptroller’s Office.

Among her other awards were an Award of Valor and a nation-wide Medal of Valor presented to her by the International Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association in 1993. Both commendations were awarded for the same reason: Grady put herself in the line of fire to protect a fellow officer during a drug buy.

Grady commented that she’d miss her employees and the staff she worked with at the police department.

“I really enjoyed my time making friends throughout the community since I started, and some are my friends still today,” she said.

Still, she’s ready for a break.

“I have a vacation or two planned and a lot of jobs to do around the house that I’ve said I would do when I retire,” she said. “Beyond that, I’d like to see the Chicago Cubs win a World Series.”