Latest news with #DixonPoliceDepartment
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
New Dixon police chief sworn in Monday
Jun. 3—DIXON — Dixon's City Council chambers were filled to capacity Monday evening to applaud the swearing in of the city's new police chief, Ryan Bivins. "What an incredible night as we honor Ryan Bivins as he begins to lead our Dixon Police Department into this next chapter," Dixon City Manager Danny Langloss said. ExpandAutoplay Image 1 of 5 Dixon Mayor Glen Hughes (right) administers the oath of office for Dixon's new chief of police Ryan Bivins (left) at the Dixon City Council meeting Monday, June 2, 2025. (Payton Felix) Bivins' appointment as chief comes after former Chief Steve Howell's retirement May 9. Bivins was one of two candidates that went through the interview process conducted by a committee of 10 people and led by Jon Mandrell, vice president of academics and student services at Sauk Valley Community College and a former police officer. "It is with great pride and confidence that our committee recommends the appointment of Sgt. Ryan Bivins as the next chief of police for integrity, professionalism and dedication to community engagement make him exceptionally well suited to lead the department into the future," Mandrell wrote in a statement that Langloss read at the meeting. [ Dixon's new police chief plans to prioritize community policing, youth engagement ] Bivins joined the Dixon Police Department in 2009. He's served in many roles, including detective, street crimes sergeant, and hostage negotiator, among others. He also leads the department's Crisis Prevention Team and was instrumental in launching the Police Chaplain Program, Peer Support Program and First Responder Resiliency Program, according to a May 27 news release from the city of Dixon.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Dixon's new police chief plans to prioritize community policing, youth engagement
Jun. 1—DIXON — Under the leadership of Dixon's new chief of police, Ryan Bivins, the department will be enhancing its focus on community policing. "What I love is when officers are out of their squad cars in the neighborhoods," Bivins said. "If they see kids playing basketball, get out, play basketball with them, [or] actually stopping in businesses and getting that face-to-face contact with the business owner so they see us, they know who we are. It's an instant relationship-building connection." ExpandAutoplay Image 1 of 4 Sgt. Ryan Bivins will be sworn in as the newest Dixon Chief of Police on Monday, June 2, 2025. (Alex T. Paschal) Bivins said he will continue all of the community policing initiatives the department does now, such as Shop with a Cop and Clothes for Kids, among others, and will "even expand on some of those outreaches." A major priority is youth engagement. "I believe we can have a huge impact on the next generation, you know, with people seeing us beyond just wearing a badge, and investing into the community," Bivins said. When applying for the position of chief, final candidates spent about a month preparing a 10- to 15-page management action plan that details their vision for the department. For Bivins, the title of his plan was "Serving Beyond the Badge," he said. "It's just going beyond a normal thing that we're supposed to do as police officers," Bivins said. [ Bivins chosen as Dixon's newest police chief ] Bivins will officially assume his new role during his swearing-in ceremony Monday, June 2. Bivins' selection was announced Tuesday after the retirement of former Chief Steve Howell on May 9. Bivins' career in law enforcement began in 2008 with the Lee County Sheriff's Office as a corrections officer. After that, he joined the Dixon Police Department in 2009 and has served in many different roles, including patrol officer, detective, patrol sergeant, street crimes sergeant, detective sergeant and hostage negotiator. He leads the department's crisis prevention team and was instrumental in launching the police chaplain program, peer support program and first responder resiliency program, according to a news release sent Tuesday from the city of Dixon. "The favorite part for me has been the relationships that I've been able to build along the way — not just within the department, but with members of the community. We meet people in their highest and lowest moments, and it's a real opportunity to connect with people," Bivins said. Bivins' decision to work in law enforcement wasn't out of the ordinary because he'd grown up around it. His dad, Tim Bivins, was the Lee County sheriff for 20 years and had previously worked at the Dixon Police Department. Originally, Bivins was looking into becoming a youth pastor, but then "I felt called to go this route," he said. "I'm very thankful for that change, because I still think we have a lot of similarities — you get to help kids and be involved." Still, "my faith is very central to my life and kind of the foundation of who I am," Bivins said, adding that he continues to be very involved in his church by serving as a worship leader. Service has been a major motivator for everything in Bivins' work, marking the biggest reason he wanted to take on the role of police chief. "I don't want it for the title. I'm not a title person. I don't want it for the pay raise. I don't want it for, you know, a lot of reasons that people want a promotion sometimes," Bivins said. "I want to just continue to be able to serve the department. That's always been my goal as a leader is to serve those that I work with. I believe that in this role I can continue to do that, but also provide a vision for the department to keep moving forward." Before the interview process began, Bivins said, it was something that he sat down with his family to talk about "to kind of explain it's going to come with some more responsibility," and "they were all super supportive." "They are my rock," Bivins said. "Their love, encouragement and strength make everything I do possible." Bivins and his wife, Jordan, have been married 20 years and have four children — Carson, Brady, Bailey and Marley.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bivins chosen as Dixon's newest police chief
May 27—DIXON — Ryan Bivins will serve as Dixon's next police chief. Bivins will officially assume his new role during his swearing-in ceremony Monday, June 2, 2025. Bivins' selection was announced Tuesday, May 27, and follows the retirement of former chief Steve Howell on May 9. "It is with great pride and confidence that our committee recommends the appointment of Sgt. Ryan Bivins as the next Chief of Police," said Jon Mandrell, chairman of the selection committee who is vice president of Academics and Student Services at Sauk Valley Community College and a former police officer with a master's degree in law enforcement administration. "His distinguished record of service, integrity, professionalism, and compassion make him exceptionally well-suited to lead the department into the future." Bivins joined the Dixon Police Department in 2009, according to a news release. He has served in numerous roles, including patrol officer, detective, patrol sergeant, street crimes sergeant, detective sergeant, and hostage negotiator. He leads the department's Crisis Prevention Team, and was instrumental in launching the Police Chaplain Program, Peer Support Program, and First Responder Resiliency Program. He is a U.S. Army veteran, having served 10 years, including a combat tour in Afghanistan where he was promoted to captain and awarded the Bronze Star Medal. He holds a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice. The selection process was comprehensive, transparent, and designed to ensure the best outcome for the department and the community, according to Dixon City Manager Danny Langloss. He said two internal candidates — Bivins, who is a sergeant, and Sgt. Aaron Simonton — participated in the process. Langloss said both men are outstanding leaders and demonstrated that they are fully capable of leading the department. "We must first acknowledge how impressed our committee was with the exceptional talent within the Dixon Police Department," Mandrell said. "The candidates demonstrated remarkable professionalism, leadership, and a clear vision for the department. It was truly inspiring and empowering to witness their deep love and pride for the City of Dixon." Each candidate spent a month preparing a detailed management action plan, which included a full staffing and departmental structure analysis aligned with their vision. Day 1 of the in-process included formal presentations of these plans followed by a question-and-answer session. Day 2 involved extensive leadership interviews that evaluated philosophy, decision-making, competencies, and scenario-based responses. Alongside Mandrell and Langloss, the committee also included: * Dixon Public Schools Superintendent Margo Empen * Dixon Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Executive Director Amanda Wike * Chief People Officer for the City of Dixon Dennell Pluymert * Sauk Valley Police Academy Director Jason LaMendola * Dixon City Council Members Mike Venier and Mary Oros * Interim Police Chief Doug Lehman * Dixon Police Sgt. Chris Scott "We are incredibly grateful to Dr. Jon Mandrell for his time, vision, and outstanding leadership throughout this process," Langloss said. "He brought deep expertise, a calm and thoughtful presence, and a genuine passion for serving our community. This was an extremely difficult decision, and Dr. Mandrell's leadership ensured that the process was thorough, fair, and mission-focused." Chief Bivins wishes to recognize his wife, Jordan Bivins, and their four children — Carson, Brady, Bailey, and Marley — for being his unwavering support system. "They are my rock," Bivins said. "Their love, encouragement, and strength make everything I do possible." Bivins is a mission-driven servant leader whose philosophy, "Serving Beyond the Badge," is reflected in both his leadership and deep community relationships, Langloss said. Bivins' vision for the future of the department includes: * Expanded youth engagement and outreach * Community policing and trust-building * Root-cause crime strategies that promote rehabilitation and safety * Comprehensive addiction and mental health support * Nation-leading officer wellness and resiliency programs * Transparency and shared purpose with the community
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Dixon man seeking to have 67-year prison sentence reduced in child sex assault, abuse case
May 21—DIXON — A Dixon man sentenced to almost 70 years in prison three months ago for sex-related crimes against a victim younger than 13 said his sentence is excessive and is asking that it be reduced. Jason E. Johnson, 52, pleaded guilty in September to one count each of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Lee County Judge Theresa Friel-Draper sentenced Johnson on Feb. 6 to 60 years in prison for predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and a consecutive seven-year prison sentence for aggravated criminal sexual abuse. It was the maximum sentence allowed under the law. A hearing has been set for 9 a.m. June 6 in Lee County Circuit Court on a motion to reconsider the sentence filed in February by Johnson's attorney, public defender Douglas Lathe. In that motion, Johnson said the sentences require that he must serve 85% of the 60-year sentence and 50% of the seven-year sentence, and that the sentence is excessive in light of the evidence presented to the court. According to the motion, the court did not fully consider an article of the Illinois Constitution that states "all penalties shall be determined both according to the seriousness of the offense and with the objective of restoring the offender to useful citizenship along with other authoritative considerations in mitigation." The motion also states that the court should take into consideration recommendations made in a psychological and psychosexual evaluation dated Nov. 17, 2022. [ Dixon man sentenced to 67 years in prison for sexually abusing child ] Johnson was arrested on the charges in May 2019, seven months after Dixon Police Department investigators learned of an allegation of sexual abuse against Johnson. During that investigation, officers learned from a child forensic interview conducted at the Shining Star Children's Advocacy Center in Dixon that Johnson had sexually abused and assaulted a girl who was between the ages of 11 and 12, and that he had done so multiple times, Lee County State's Attorney Charles Boonstra has said. Those charges all involve the same victim, and they were alleged to have occurred in 2013. Johnson was indicted in May 2019 on four counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim younger than 13 and five counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim younger than 13. Boonstra has said that as the case was being prosecuted, investigators became aware of reports of other possible victims, with allegations that each had been abused or assaulted by Johnson at ages varying from 4 to 17 years old. After further investigation, Lee County prosecutors charged Johnson on Sept. 29, 2020, with two more counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in connection with a 2011 assault in which the victim was at least 13 years old but younger than 17, according to charging documents. He pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in August 2022 and was sentenced in June 2024 to 180 days in the Lee County Jail, four years of probation and a $25,000 fine. The other charge was dismissed. Johnson then pleaded guilty Sept. 24 to two of the nine charges filed in 2019; the other seven were dismissed. Under that sentencing order, Johnson was given credit for 2,093 days served and ordered to register as a sex offender, according to court documents. Lee County Assistant State's Attorneys William Fawkes and Stephanie Sasscer are prosecutors in the case.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Yahoo
Police: Two vehicles stolen from Dixon dealership
Mar. 18—DIXON — Dixon police are asking for the public's help as they investigate the theft of two vehicles from a Dixon dealership. Dixon police officers were called at 9:41 a.m. Sunday, March 16, to Ken Nelson Auto Group, 1100 N. Galena Ave., for a reported burglary. According to a news release, two vehicles — a gray 2022 Dodge Charger and a black 2014 Cadillac CTS — were stolen. The department is asking for the public to be on the lookout for the vehicles. Investigators are actively pursuing a number of leads obtained during the investigation, according to the release. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Dixon Police Department at 288-4411 or Ogle-Lee Crimestoppers at 1-888-CAUGHT U (1-888-228-4488). Callers do not have to leave their names and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 if that information leads to an arrest.
