Lake in the Hills taps new top cop from within ranks

Lake in the Hills Police Chief Mary Frake is retiring in July. Lake in the Hills Deputy Chief Matt Mannino will succeed Frake as chief of the department.

Mannino, who officials have said has spent his career with the Lake in the Hills Police Department has begun transition duties as part of becoming chief, but will formally take over and be sworn in in July, he said Tuesday.

Village officials approved Mannino’s appointment on April 25. On Tuesday, they discussed temporarily adding another police position. Mannino said the police were asking for the additional position so they could get someone through training before Frake’s retirement was official.

“I’m honored to make this appointment,” Village President Ray Bogdanowski said after Mannino’s appointment was approved.

Frake was promoted to chief of police in 2021 after serving as deputy chief. Frake has been with Lake in the Hills police department since 1994, according to previous Northwest Herald reporting. In her career, she had served as an investigator and co-commander of the McHenry County Major Investigations Assistance Team.

Bogdanowski had high praise for Mannino after he was appointed police chief.

“We have the utmost confidence in you,” Bogdanowski said.