Riley Eubanks
The State Journal-Register
Springfield Police Chief Kenny Winslow will not leave the city for Bloomington’s top post.
After Winslow was announced as one of two finalists for the position, Bloomington opted not to hire Winslow and instead will hire Illinois State Police Col. Jamal Simington, who already lives in Bloomington but works in Springfield, to head its police department, it was announced Wednesday.
Winslow, for the immediate future, will remain with the Springfield Police Department, which waits to see whether its leader will look to move elsewhere after he accepted a new role with one police department in December and backed out before eyeing the Bloomington police chief position.
Winslow put out a statement Wednesday congratulating Simington on the hire.
“It’s a great opportunity for me both professionally and personally that’ll allow me to grow,” Winslow said about the Bloomington job at the most recent Springfield Committee of the Whole meeting Aug. 10. He did not immediately respond to an interview request Wednesday.
Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder has publicly defended Winslow despite criticism from multiple members of Springfield City Council.
Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin said Wednesday he doesn’t have confidence in Winslow’s leadership for the police department.
“He has in fact abandoned the rank-and-file by seeking other positions after it had appeared he made a commitment to stay on (as chief),” McMenamin said. “He’s lost the confidence of many of our aldermen and our citizens here in Springfield.
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Winslow, 50, is a 26-year veteran of the Springfield Police Department. The Alton native has been chief of the 215-member department on a permanent basis since 2014 and has been the only chief under Langfelder.
In December, the city of Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville, announced that Winslow had accepted an offer to become one of the city’s new deputy chiefs.
Winslow, who had not resigned his position in Springfield, decided to stay “after much consideration and deliberation with my family.”
Winslow said over the last several months, there have been “several opportunities” for him professionally. Winslow said he applied for the Bloomington job after discussing the matter with his family.
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Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 