SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — A former Springfield Police Department lieutenant will be named Sangamon County Sheriff, according to a statement by Sangamon County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter.
Paula Crouch pictured on the far right receiving an award in 2019.
Paula Crouch is expected to be confirmed as the new sheriff at Wednesday's board meeting. She will lead the embattled department after former Sheriff Jack Campbell retired last month following the police shooting death of Sonya Massey.
Crouch, if approved by the board, will serve out the remainder of Campbell's term which ends in December 2026.
Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon has been serving as interim sheriff since Sept. 1.
Crouch started with the Springfield Police Department in 1999 after first serving as a 911 dispatcher, according to a statement by Van Meter. She retired in 2023 from law enforcement but has most recently served as the Chief Deputy of Administration in the Sangamon County Circuit Clerk's Office.
Her selection as sheriff comes after Van Meter established a review committee. An initial list of applicants was narrowed to seven earlier this month. The committee was chaired by former Judge Pat Kelley.
"We were fortunate to have a highly qualified pool of applicants," Kelley said. "After careful deliberation, the committee is confident in Paula Crouch’s ability to lead the Sheriff’s Office, and we stand firmly behind her selection.”
Crouch holds degrees from Lincoln Land Community College and Benedictine University and holds a Master's in Law Enforcement and Justice Administration from Western Illinois University, according to a statement.
“I am incredibly honored and humbled to have been chosen to serve as the Sheriff of Sangamon County,” Crouch said in a statement. “My career in law enforcement has given me the opportunity to work with a diverse range of people and tackle complex challenges, and I look forward to bringing those experiences to this role. Protecting the safety and well-being of our citizens will always be my top priority, and I am committed to building on the foundation of the Sheriff’s Office to continue improving public safety in our county.”
According to a statement to WAND News, Crouch's time in law enforcement has included roles on the Sangamon/Menard County Crime Stoppers, a member of the Hostage Negotiations Team and Critical Incident Team, and serving as a law enforcement instructor. She has also done work with the Child Advocacy Center, United States Marshals Task Force, and Illinois Attorney General's Crimes Against Children Task Force.
"Paula Crouch’s extensive experience and deep roots in our community make her the ideal person to lead the Sheriff’s Office. As a former victim of sexual harassment and a working single mom who overcame financial difficulties, Paula knows what it is like when life knocks you down. She understands that justice is the application of human understanding to the laws designed to protect all of us from the worst of us.”
The Sangamon County Board meets Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Convention Center.
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