Police Chief Melvin Cornelius Announces Retirement

Saint Xavier University Chief of Police Melvin Cornelius announced his retirement on November 1, 2023, after 32 years of policing College and University Campuses. During his career, he has worked in many capacities which include; a patrol officer, a crime scene investigator, a training officer, emergency management and preparedness supervisor and various levels of police command, culminating as the Chief of Police. Cornelius also served as an active member of the Will County Police Chiefs Association, The Suburban Law Enforcement Police Chiefs Association, The Illinois Police Chiefs Association and The International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators. His passion for giving back to the community has been highlighted by his support of numerous charitable organizations.

Prior to being selected as the Chief of Police at SXU in 2021, Cornelius was the Interim Chief of Police at Joliet Junior College where he served for over 27 years. After transitioning from JJC, Cornelius was honored with a Resolution by The JJC Board of Trustees recognizing his high standard of professionalism, quality and excellence.

Thirty-two years of dedicated police service, makes me very proud, said Chief Cornelius. There are a lot of amazing people working at SXU and JJC and it has been an honor to serve beside them. I loved my job and was able to make a difference. When you come to the end of a career and look back, it’s hard to ask for more than that. It has been a great experience, serving two great communities and I’mlooking forward to spending more time with my family and seeing what life brings next.