Crime & Safety

Meet Woodridge's New Deputy Police Chief

Keith Grabarek has served in the Woodridge Police Department since 1988.

Woodridge’s new deputy chief of support services is a 24-year veteran.

Keith Grabarek was hired as a police officer in Woodridge in 1988. Since then, he has served as both a patrol sergeant and a tactical sergeant. In his new position, he oversees detectives, the department’s tactical unit, records and administrative services. 

Grabarek takes over from Gina Grady, who has moved to deputy chief of operations. Grady’s position was formerly held by Ken Boehm, who was named Woodridge’s new police chief following the retirement of Steve Herron in November. 

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Woodridge is an “excellent place to work,” Grabarek said, and he was “very lucky” to find a place here when he started testing to be a police officer.

“It’s a very nice community,” he said. “I enjoy what I do here. I enjoy the police department and the people. I have a lot of friendships in the village.”

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In his position, Grabarek looks to maintain a close connection with the community and the Woodridge Community Resource Center. He looks to continue the village’s topic forums to educate the community on trends residents need to know about, such as . 

Grabarek will also continue to work with the tactical unit, which is a proactive unit responsible for covert operations, he said, combating street-level drug activity, serving search warrants and gaining intelligence to develop strategies to combat situations.

Grabarek grew up in Naperville. His mother was a kindergarten teacher at Woodridge School, now called , for almost 30 years.

He received an associate’s degree from the College of DuPage in criminal justice and a bachelor’s degree from Aurora University and attended the Northwestern University School of Police Staffing and Command.

Outside of work, Grabarek coaches youth hockey for the Naperville Sabres.  


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