Officer Giovanni Lopez, Officer Lucas Huerta, and Officer Hailey Gibbs were sworn in for the position of police officer at the Homewood board meeting on Aug. 26. 

Denise McGrath, Homewood chief of police, introduced each officer to the board as they stepped up to be sworn in. 

According to McGrath, Lopez graduated from Horizon Science Academy McKinley Park in 2020. He previously was employed as a paraprofessional and recruiter, as well as a personal trainer. 

Huerta graduated from Thornton Fractional South High School in 2022 and attended South Suburban College. He previously was employed as a manager at the Homewood Chick-fil-A restaurant, McGrath said. 

Gibbs graduated from Oak Forest High School in 2022. She earned an associate in general studies degree from Moraine Valley Community College, with a focus on psychology and criminal justice. Gibbs previously was employed at Delta Sonic as a customer advisor and location sales manager, McGrath said. 

All three officers applied for the police officer position through the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners’ Police Officer Entry Level process. They passed all of the exams (polygraph, psychological, and medical) before attending the Cook County Sheriff’s Basic Law Enforcement Police Training Academy from May 5 to Aug. 21, 2025. They entered the Homewood Police Department Field Training Program as of Aug. 25, McGrath said. 

According to McGrath, the three new officers now increase the Homewood Police Department’s full-time sworn police officer roster to 44, with all positions now filled.