DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — With plans to retire Friday, Decatur Police Chief Shane Brandel attended his final city council meeting Monday night. 

Brandel joined DPD in 1997 and served in units across all three divisions of the department during his career. He became a Detective in 2000, then advanced to Sergeant in 2005, Lieutenant in 2015, and Deputy Chief of Police in 2016. He was appointed Chief of Police in July 2021.

On Monday night, Brandel delivered one final message to city leaders.

"The last four years have been a little, you know different. It's pretty heavy, I'm not gonna lie," said Brandel. "But it's been incredibly rewarding, and one of the greatest honors in my life. So thank you very much, I appreciate it."

Brad Allen will be taking over as new chief on Saturday. As a MacArthur graduate, Allen's Decatur roots go deep.

"It might sound cliché, but I think this is a calling," Allen told WAND News in a sit down interview. "My dad spent 28 years on the Decatur firefighter so I grew up in a service family. My dad did public service so I knew that would be my route with policing."

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