IL HR0902

Illinois House congratulates Orland Park Police Chief Timothy J. "Tim" McCarthy on his retirement effective August 1, 2020.

Chief McCarthy was born June 20, 1949 on Chicago's South Side, graduated from Leo Catholic High School in 1967, and played as a strong safety for the University of Illinois Fighting Illini football team on a scholarship.

McCarthy joined the U.S. Secret Service after graduating in 1971 and served in the Presidential Protective Division; he was shot while protecting President Ronald Reagan during an assassination attempt on March 30, 1981.

McCarthy became Orland Park Police Chief in May 1994 and served for over 26 years, growing the force by more than 30 sworn officers and pioneering community policing initiatives including early advocacy for naloxone in police vehicle kits to combat opioid overdoses.

McCarthy received the NCAA Award of Valor in 1982 and the inaugural Police Chief of the Year Award from the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police in 2016; he is survived by his wife of 47 years, three children, and seven grandchildren.