Administration

The Administration of the Alton Police Department consists of the Chief of Police, Deputy Chief of Police, Captain, one Administrative Lieutenant, and the Chief’s Administrative Assistant. The purpose of the Administration Division is to set and maintain policy, provide departmental direction and stability, and to ensure that specific goals and objectives of the Department are accomplished.

MESSAGE FROM CHIEF OF POLICE JARRETT FORD

Welcome to the Alton Police Department website. It is an honor to be Chief of Police of the Alton Police Department.  It is the opportunity of a lifetime to be able to serve in this capacity in the very city in which I was born, raised, and still reside in.

The men and women who comprise the Alton Police Department are the best of the best.  We are committed to solving and reducing crime in all neighborhoods as well as improving quality of life for all community members.  As outstanding as our officers are, we know we can’t achieve maximum success without continuing to build strong relationships with the community we serve.  We cannot go about our mission without joining forces with the community.  This is known and instilled in all employees from top to bottom.

I will always lead by example to continue forward progress for our city.  I cherish every opportunity to engage with the community, not only as a law enforcement professional, but also by stepping outside my comfort zone and allowing the public to see behind the badge, to see me as a human and a community member just like them.  I encourage our officers to do the same.  I also encourage community members to take a moment and engage in a casual conversation with an officer whenever possible.  It is always better to build a real relationship before rather than after you may need police services.

With that said, we value your feedback.  We want to hear from you on how we are performing.  We want to hear how your experience went when interacting with officers and other staff. We want to hear if you have a suggestion on how we may better serve our city.  We are all human.  We don’t always get it right.  But we are always committed to progress, learning, and improving and you serve a critical role in that with your input and feedback.

I believe one of the most important things I can do as Chief is to ensure open and honest communication in terms of what is happening in the community. We will use this site in conjunction with our social media accounts to provide you with the most up-to-date information available. Please visit Alton Police Department sites often and join us in the effort to keep Alton safe and the best community it can be.

After 18 years, I still love this profession, still love the men and women of the police department, still love the City of Alton, and I am excited for the future of not only the Alton Police Department but also the City of Alton.

Stay safe and take care of yourselves and each other.

CHIEF OF POLICE

Chief Jarrett Ford is 40 years old and has worked 18 years for the Alton Police Department. He grew up in Alton and graduated from Alton High School in 2000. He graduated from McKendree College in Lebanon, Illinois, in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance. He also obtained an associate’s degree in law enforcement from Lewis & Clark Community College in Godfrey, Illinois.

Chief Ford was hired by the Alton Police Department at 22 years of age. He spent three years as a patrol officer and then received the opportunity to work in the Criminal Investigations Division as a Detective working felony cases. After working five years as a Detective, he was promoted to Sergeant where he briefly returned to the Patrol Division as a supervisor before returning back to detectives as the Detective Sergeant supervisor. In 2017, he was again promoted to Lieutenant and remained in detectives as the Chief of Detectives. In 2018, he became the Support Services Commander, which oversees jail operations, training, traffic, and the records division. In 2020, he was appointed as the Deputy Chief of Police before appointed Chief in November 2022.

Chief Ford still proudly resides in Alton. His passions include working out, hiking, and spending time with his son.

DEPUTY CHIEF OF POLICE (ASSISTANT CHIEF OF POLICE)