FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: RETIRED RIVERSIDE (IL) POLICE CHIEF TOM WEITZEL JOINS CITIZENS BEHIND THE BADGE ADVISORY COUNCIL
This 37-year police veteran was shot and nearly killed--saved by his bullet-resistant vest. His near-death experience shaped his lifelong commitment to officer safety and training.
Police Chief Tom Weitzel (Ret.)
This release is also available on Substack at: https://behindbadge.substack.com/
McLean, VA (April 27, 2026) – Citizens Behind the Badge (CBB), a nonprofit law enforcement advocacy organization, announced today that Police Chief Tom Weitzel (Ret.), a 37‑year veteran of the Riverside, Illinois Police Department and one of the Chicago region’s most respected law enforcement leaders, has joined its Law Enforcement Advisory Council.
CBB’s Law Enforcement Advisory Council helps guide the organization’s policy positions, programs, and national outreach efforts. Chief Weitzel joins a distinguished group of federal, state, and local law enforcement leaders from across the country. The Council is chaired by Bill Erfurth, a retired 26‑year veteran of the Miami‑Dade (FL) Police Department.
Chief Weitzel began his career with the Riverside Police Department in 1984 and rose through every rank—patrol officer, detective, sergeant, lieutenant, deputy chief, and ultimately chief of police, a position he held from 2008 until his retirement in 2021. Throughout his tenure, he became widely known for his leadership on public safety policy, officer wellness, and community‑focused, constitutionally grounded policing.
A defining moment in his early career came in 1987, when then-Officer Weitzel was ambushed and shot at close range while investigating a suspicious vehicle during a nighttime patrol. The shotgun blast struck his ballistic vest, knocking him to the ground and causing serious injuries. Because he survived, he later became a member of the exclusive IACP/DuPont Kevlar Survivors Club, which recognizes those law enforcement officers who are saved by their bullet-resistant vests.
His near-death experience shaped his lifelong commitment to officer safety, training, and legislation protecting law enforcement officers. He is now working with CBB to seek congressional passage of the Back the Blue Act (H.R. 4310/S. 3366), which would make killing a law enforcement officer a federal crime. As Chief Weitzel wrote in a recent op-ed, “Only federal jurisdiction can guarantee the strongest possible investigation, the most experienced prosecutors, and penalties that reflect the gravity of the crime, including eligibility for the federal death penalty.”
Chief Weitzel led the Riverside Police Department through more than a decade of modernization, community engagement initiatives, and professional development programs. He also played an active role in statewide law enforcement policy discussions, serving on legislative committees addressing critical public safety issues across Illinois.
Since retiring from active service, Chief Weitzel has remained deeply engaged in national and state public safety advocacy. He currently serves as an Illinois Ambassador for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund in Washington, D.C., and as a Law Enforcement Fellow with Awake Illinois, where he provides policy commentary, public safety analysis, and media insights on crime and policing.
“Chief Weitzel brings extraordinary experience, passion and credibility to our Advisory Council. His leadership, his advocacy, and his lifelong commitment to officer safety will strengthen our mission to ensure America’s policing professionals receive the support and respect they need and deserve,” said Craig W. Floyd, Founder and CEO of Citizens Behind the Badge.
“Law enforcement is a family tradition for Chief Weitzel,” Floyd added. “He and his wife raised three sons who all serve as police officers in suburban Chicago communities. For him, policing has always been more than a career—it is a calling rooted in service, sacrifice, and the protection of others.”
A complete biography for each member of the Law Enforcement Advisory Council can be found on the CBB website at https://www.behindbadge.org/about.
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About Citizens Behind the Badge
Established in 2020, Citizens Behind the Badge (CBB) is a national nonprofit organization based in McLean, Virginia. Its mission is to mobilize and amplify citizen support to ensure that law enforcement receives the resources and respect needed and deserved to keep America safe. CBB’s founder and president is Craig W. Floyd, who led the effort to build both the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and the National Law Enforcement Museum. For more information go to: www.BehindBadge.org or email info@behindbadge.org.
