Carl Estelle was appointed Flossmoor police chief Feb. 17 at the village’s Board of Trustees meeting on a 4-to-2 vote, making him Flossmoor’s second Black police chief.
Trustees Rosalind Mustafa and Joni Bradley-Scott voted against the appointment of Estelle with trustees Brian Driscoll, Jim Mitros, George Lofton and Gary Daggett voting in favor.
Jerel Jones, the village’s first black police chief, was fired March 18, 2024, in a split vote of the village trustees after holding the position for less than a year.
The board room was filled with Estelle family and supporters, the mayors of several neighboring towns, about 25 uniformed law enforcement officers and several firefighters.
During public comments, several people spoke of Estelle taking the position, his qualifications and his work with the village of Flossmoor.
Estelle’s wife, Bonita Estelle, spoke on his work in law enforcement over the past 25 years and his work through multiple communities throughout the state of California, noting that his certification in Illinois has been completed.
“I know without equivocation that he will do an amazing job implementing his incredible skill set right here in Flossmoor,” she said. “I have had the unique opportunity to observe Carl’s law enforcement journey as well as his leadership over the years, and I can say with full confidence that his passion for the line of work is not only evident but truly inspiring,” she said.
Mayor Michelle Nelson described Estelle’s experience in law enforcement.
“Mr. Carl Estelle has more than 30 years of leadership in law enforcement and village management,” Nelson said. “Mr. Estelle has decades of progressive experience in law enforcement, community policing and collaborative public safety practices.”
Nelson said since August, Estelle’s focus as director of police services has been on completing police department goals, including filling vacancies, installing new technology, managing department capital projects and community outreach.
Trustee George Lofton said he agreed with Bonita Estelle’s comments and said Carl Estelle is a man of integrity and honesty along with being a family man, a man of faith and a Flossmoor resident.
Trustee Jim Mitros echoed Lofton and said Estelle has been a pleasure to work with.
“I know his training, his background and what he had to go through,” Mitros said. “I’m so appreciative that he stepped up to the plate and did it, and I just look forward to seeing what’s next.”
Tensions re-emerge
The firing of Jones last year resulted in a split on the board and in the community, with one faction supporting Nelson’s decision to let him go and another questioning whether he was treated fairly.
That divide continued when the board last summer discussed the creation of the director of police services position in order to bring Estelle on board until his Illinois credentials were approved.
Trustee Rosalind Mustafa, who voted against firing Jones, restated her objections to the process used to create the director position, although she noted her objection was not aimed at Estelle.
“My comments are not about him as an individual or a candidate,” Mustafa said. “I oppose the process that has placed the director of police services in his position. We did not conform to best practice for approving the job description and we abbreviated the process for adding his position to the budget.
Bradley-Scott said she was concerned the process was hurried and lacked transparency. She wondered why the village didn’t go back to the search firm it had used.
