‘No pending change’ after Troup makes pitch to have aldermen ask fire and police commissioners to alter offer to Lewin

QUINCY — No action was taken by the Quincy City Council during its Monday meeting in regard to the ongoing negotiations with Jonathan Lewin as the city’s next chief of police.

Quincy Mayor Mike Troup said during a Monday press conference he planned to ask the City Council to request that the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners extend their probationary appointment to Lewin to one year — six months longer than the offer made on May 2.

Troup was joined during his press conference by aldermen Mike Rein (R-5) and Jack Holtschlag (D-7). All were members of the stakeholder group that was part of the April 28-29 interview process for the three candidates for chief — Lewin, a 28-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department; Shannon Pilkington, deputy chief of operations with the Quincy Police Department, and Adam Yates, deputy chief of administrative services with the Quincy Police Department. 

Troup was asked after Monday’s City Council meeting — and an hour-long executive session — if changing the probationary period for Lewin was discussed during executive session.

“There was talk about that as a status update, but no, there’s no pending change,” Troup replied. “I think people had an opinion. It would be nice if they didn’t have that. It would be treated like any other department head. But no, we came out where there was no action taken.”

Any request from the City Council to make any requests of the fire and police commissioners would have had to be voted on during open session.

Troup had no update on where Lewin stands on whether he will take the position.

“He’s had questions with the requirements that were put out on the contingent request,” he said. “He wished it was a standard, ‘Here you are. Here’s the offer. When can you come?’ But there’s questions there. There’s no other change that we see at this point.”

Lewin was contacted Monday night after the City Council meeting had concluded, but he did not want to comment.

If Lewin accepts the position, he will replace Rob Copley, who retired Friday after 42 years with the Quincy Police Department and 18 as the chief of police. Yates, who finished second during the interview process, assumed duties as the interim chief on Saturday.

Troup said no deadline has been established for an answer from Lewin.

“I know the commissioners were trying to get an answer by last week,” he said. “I talked to Jonathan this last weekend, and he wanted to know where things were. There’s a fire and police commission meeting tomorrow, so we may learn more there.”