He was thinking of a career as a carpenter.
His mother, Rosemary, had other ideas. She saw an ad in a newspaper in 1986 that the Village of Orland Park was looking for police officers to serve the growing community. She even filled out an application for him and coaxed him to attend an orientation.
Well, 35 years later, Keating, 56, was sworn in as the Village of Mokenaâs new police chief in April, replacing the retired Steve Vaccaro and taking the reins from Interim Chiefs Tim McCarthy and Randal Stumpf.
Rosemary Keating died in 1998, and Keating praises her nudging him into law enforcement.
Reply Keating has also graduated from the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command, and the FBI National Academy. (Shutterstock)
MOKENA, IL The Mokena Village Board has appointed a new police chief for the village. After a nationwide search, John Keating has been appointed as chief of police, starting May 10.
In the meantime, Commander Randal Stumpf will serve as interim chief of police, after the Mokena Village Board appointed him to the position at its Monday meeting. Tim McCarthy had been serving as interim chief for the past several months, but his last day with the village was Monday, board documents state.