Quad City Airport Public Safety Director and Public Information Officer

Joe Leonas

Joe Leonas is the Chief of Police for Lincolnshire, Illinois. Chief Leonas has been the Lincolnshire Police Chief for 10 years, but began his law enforcement career in 1990 with the Village of Bartlett, Illinois. Over the course of his 26-year career, he held various positions including: Detective, Crime Prevention Officer, School Resource Officer, Sergeant, Investigations Commander, and Deputy Chief. Leonas also served as the Case Management Commander on the Major Case Assistance Team (MCAT) – a homicide task force comprised of over 22 police agencies in Cook County – and was responsible for the development of MCAT’s Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction (STAR) Team. Leonas graduated from DePaul University with a bachelor’s degree in English and received his master's degree from Western Illinois University in Law Enforcement and Justice Administration. Leonas also graduated from Northwestern University's Center for Public Safety School of Police Staff & Command, as well as the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Leonas has instructed police officers since 1998 in many areas, including: homicide investigations, juvenile justice, police applicant backgrounds, leadership & management, and internal affairs. In addition to teaching for the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, Leonas is an adjunct professor at DePaul University in Chicago. Leonas also taught at the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy (SLEA), Northeast Multi-Regional Training (NEMRT), Aurora University, and the College of DuPage. Leonas currently serves as the President on the Executive Board of the Lake County Chiefs of Police Association, Secretary on the Advisory Board of Directors for North East Multi-Regional Training (NEMRT), and Vice President on the Board of Directors for the Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT).  Chief Leonas was the President of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police from April 2025 – May 2026.

Quad City Airport Public Safety Director and Public Information Officer

The often unseen side of Quad City law enforcement, the Quad City International Airport Public Safety Director Jeff Swan and Public Information Officer Ashleigh Johnston join us to talk about all things airport and how important it is to have an airport in our metro area.

Retired Chief Steven Casstevens

Over the past 50 years, Steve Casstevens has served his country, has served small-town and suburban Illinois policing, and held statewide executive leadership positions as the past President of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, and past President of the International International Association of Chiefs of Police. Steve began in military police with the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division in 1976, worked for the Mendota and Peru police departments after leaving the Army in 1979, joined Hoffman Estates in 1981 and retired there in 2011 as assistant chief, then served about two and a half years as chief in Cary before becoming chief in Buffalo Grove where he served until 2022. He served as ILACP president in 2016-2017 and IACP president in 2019-2020. Steve holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Management from Judson University, served as an adjunct instructor for Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, and authored articles for Police Chief Magazine, Command Magazine, and Law and Order. Throughout his career he has been focused on global roadway safety, police response to active threats, and officer suicide prevention.

Chief Patrick Flannelly from The Coptimizer Podcast

Chronic stress, poor sleep, hypertension, obesity and elevated cardiovascular risk all lead to the #1 health epidemic facing law enforcement officers in America today, cardiovascular death.  On this podcast we are joined by Chief Patrick Flannelly from the Coptimizer Podcast and Sagahealth talking about unique testing they are doing to help early detection of cardiovascular risks and to help eliminate those risks.  Chief Gault takes the blood tests and reveals his results on air.

Dougal Nelson a community champion

Dougal Nelson, is a community pioneer that has changed the lives of thousands of Quad Cities area students through his time at Junior Achievement of the Heartland. Dougal began his career with what he calls “being a non traditional” student at Black Hawk College and then Western Illinois before finding his niche as a Community Advocate due to some amazing mentors. Dougal has worked at Isabelle Bloom, the American Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity but he made his lasting mark on the Quad Cities by his time at Junior Achievement.  Dougal was the driving force behind the creation of BizTown and the Inspiration Center which included raising over $3million to finish the projects.