Buffalo Grove, ILBuffalo Grove

The Village is pleased to announce the appointment of Brian Budds as Buffalo Grove’s next police chief. Budds will start November 7, with current Chief Steven Casstevens retiring on November 11, and Budds’ role as chief effective thereafter. A public reception to welcome Chief Budds will be held at Village Hall, 50 Raupp Boulevard, at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, November 7, with a swearing-in ceremony immediately following at 7:30 p.m. during the Village Board meeting.

“After an extensive nationwide search, Budds stood out as an intelligent, respected and incredibly talented candidate who will continue evolving our police department as we enter the next generation of policing,” said Village Manager Dane Bragg.

Chief Budds was chosen from among 43 candidates through a recruitment conducted by GovHRUSA, a nationwide public sector executive recruiter with headquarters in Northbrook, Illinois.

Chief Brian Budds

Budds brings 24 years of law enforcement experience to the position of police chief. Since 2016, he has served as the police chief for the Village of Western Springs, Illinois. Budds served as Western Springs’ deputy chief the ten years prior and as a police officer and detective there from 1998 to 2006. As chief, Budds managed a department with a $5 million operating budget, maintained effective relationships internally and externally including serving as liaison to various Village Committees and Commissions and as an executive board member for FBI Illinois Joint Terrorism Task Force and Northern Illinois Police Alarm System.

“Budds’ distinguished experience and progressive leadership style will allow him to effectively work through any challenges faced in contemporary law enforcement. His commitment to empower employees further demonstrates his ability to develop an engaged and collaborative department that embodies excellence in public service,” said Village Manager Dane Bragg.

Budds’ extensive resume includes accomplishments managing new officer training and development, implementing department peer support and wellness programs and conducting internal affairs investigations and major crimes investigations.

“I am honored and humbled to serve as Buffalo Grove’s next police chief, and I’m grateful to Village Manager Bragg and the Village Board for their confidence in me,” said Budds. “I look forward to leading the talented men and women in the department and building upon the established esteemed reputation as a premier law enforcement agency in the nation. I will work tirelessly to foster strong community relationships by instituting contemporary and innovative law enforcement initiatives and partnerships, and I will ensure the department works collaboratively with Village leadership to meet and exceed the highest service levels and professionalism that the Buffalo Grove community has come to expect.”  

Budds holds a bachelor's degree in business management from University of Illinois at Chicago and a master's degree in public safety administration from Lewis University. Budds is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy and Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command. He completed the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program at Harvard University, is a Certified Police Chief and holds a certificate as a technical accident reconstructionist from Northwestern University.

Budds is a member of the International Association of Police Chiefs, FBI – Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (LEEDA), FBI National Academy Associates, Police Executive Research Forum and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.