Rock Valley College

Rick Jenks
Chief Rick Jenks

Chief Jenks has served with the Rock Valley College Police Department since March of 1999. He has received his Associate's degree from Rock Valley College, Bachelor's degree from Judson University, and a Master's degree in Business Administration from Cardinal Stritch University. Chief Jenks worked as a Sheriff's Deputy for the Boone County Sheriff's Department and with the Illinois State Police as an undercover narcotics officer. He is a certified traffic accident reconstructionist with the Northwestern Traffic Institute and has investigated over 100 serious or fatal accidents.

Chief Jenks is responsible for the Emergency Preparedness coordination for Rock Valley College, state and federal compliance, security systems, and crime prevention. He works closely with other agencies and organizations in the area in developing plans should an emergency occur at RVC or in the surrounding communities. He is certified through FEMA in Incident Command Systems (ICS) and National Incident Management Systems (NIMS). In July of 2019, Chief Rick Jenks assumed the responsibilities of leading the RVCPD in its mission toward campus safety.

In his spare time, Chief Jenks enjoys spending time with his family. He also enjoys spending time on his boat and is an avid fisherman.

RVCPD DC Tom YehlTom Yehl, Deputy Chief

Deputy Chief Yehl has served with the Rock Valley College Police Department since April of 2020. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University and a Master’s degree in Criminal and Social Justice Administration from Lewis University. He is also a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command. Deputy Chief Yehl worked for a municipal department in DuPage County for 27 years and held several positions. He was also a member of Felony Investigation Action Team as an investigator as well as investigator with the DuPage County Fire Investigation Task Force. He began his policing career in higher education at a community college in Cook County as an Administrative Sergeant.  His certifications include; certified field training officer, certified firearms instructor, certified use of force options instructor, certificate in managing an investigative unit, and certificate in property and evidence unit manager. Deputy Chief Yehl is the State of Illinois Chapter President for the National Association of Safety and Campus Administrators (NASCA).

Deputy Chief Yehl is responsible for policy and procedure development and accreditation. He also assists the Chief with the budget, emergency preparedness, and community policing.

John Hoshaw
Sergeant John Hoshaw

Sergeant Hoshaw's family moved to the Rockford area in 1965 when his father, Lloyd Hoshaw, took a teaching position with Rock Valley College. He is an RVC alumnus with an AAS Degree In Police Science, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Law Enforcement Administration from Western Illinois University.

He was hired by the Rockford Police Department in 1981 where he worked in many different areas over the next 32 years. He has been a firearms instructor and armorer, a member of the SWAT team, an accident investigator, a member of the PBPA union board, Patrol Sergeant and Field Force supervisor. Sergeant Hoshaw retired from the Rockford Police Department as a Sergeant in 2012 and took a position as a Patrol Officer with the Rock Valley College Police Department. He was promoted to RVC PD Sergeant in 2014.

His hobbies include outdoor sports, hunting, fishing, and target shooting. As a police Master Firearms Instructor, he has had opportunities, to study at a number of marksmanship academies including The University of Illinois PTI, Gunsite academy, Smith and Wesson Academy, and Sigarms Academy. He is an avid competition shooter, and has shot in a number of rifle, pistol, and shotgun disciplines at the local, state, and national level.

Michael Schoening
Sergeant Michael Schoening 

Sergeant Schoening graduated from Loras College in 2006 with a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. Sergeant Schoening began his career in Law Enforcement as a police officer for the Rock Valley College Police Department in 2009. He was promoted to sergeant on June 1, 2020. Sergeant Schoening is a Firearms Instructor, Bike Officer, Certified Glock Armorer, and a member of the ILEAS Mobile Field Force.

 

Joab Irwin
Officer Joab Irwin

Officer Irwin has served with the Rock Valley College Police Department since January of 1998. He graduated from Rock Valley College in 2009, earning an Associate of Arts degree with high honors. He was also an active member of Rock Valley College's honor society, the Omicron Eta chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK). Officer Irwin's Illinois State certifications include: Emergency Medical Service – First Responder D, REID Interrogation, and Field Training Officer (FTO). He is also an instructor for training in: Segway Patrol, Stryker Evacuation Chair, and Registered Sex Offenders. In addition to his patrol duties, Officer Irwin is assigned to administrative duties, which includes: sex offender registration, Clery Act compliance, and emergency management/planning.

During his time at RVC, Officer Irwin has served as staff advisor to several student clubs including: Japanese Multimedia Club (JMC), College Republicans, and Geocacher's Club. He currently serves as the staff advisor to the Table Top Gaming Club.

In his spare time, Officer Irwin enjoys spending time with his family. He is also an avid runner.

Marc Rubert
Officer Marc Rubert

Officer Rubert has worked at Rock Valley College since 2008 and has worked in law enforcement since 1998. Officer Rubert is a Field Training Officer (FTO), Fraternal Order Police (FOP) Labor Council Negotiations Team member (2012-2016) CBA, C-Cert instructor, and a First Responder D.

Officer Rubert grew up in Rockford and attended Rock Valley College (1989-1991) and graduated in 1991.

Sarah Smith
Officer Sarah Smith

Officer Smith graduated from Rock Valley College with an Associate’s degree in Applied Science in Criminal Justice. She started her career in law enforcement in 2003, and has been with the Rock Valley College Police Department since 2005. Officer Smith is a Certified Juvenile Officer and a R.A.D. Instructor. She has additional training in Practical Lie Detection & Field Interviewing, Critical Incident Management and Serving & Protecting a Multi-Cultural Community. Officer Smith is also a Fraternal Order of Police (F.O.P.) Union Steward.

Kurt Stahl
Officer Kurt Stahl

Officer Stahl is a former student at Rock Valley College and later attended Western Illinois University where he majored in Law Enforcement. He previously worked for the Belvidere Police Department (2008-2009) and the Park District Police Department (2009-2010) before joining the Rock Valley College Police Department in 2010.

 

Officer Brian Nicolls RVCPD
Officer Brian Nicolls

Officer Nicolls has worked at the Rock Valley College Police Department since February 2019. He previously worked for the Rockford Park District Police Department for 20 years. Officer Nicolls attended Rock Valley College, and is a certified Field Training Officer and Basic Youth/Juvenile Officer.

 

Breanne Frye
Officer Breanne Frye

Officer Frye has over 15 years military experience serving in the United States Army Reserves with one deployment to Afghanistan as a Unit Supply Sergeant. She is currently serving as a drill sergeant. Officer Frye graduated from Ball State University with a major in Social Studies Education and earned a Master’s degree from Ashford University.  Officer Frye has served as a police officer for Rock Valley College since 2014. Officer Frye says that “After years of teaching in the classroom, switching careers to becoming a police officer is the best choice I have made. I definitely feel at home with the Rock Valley College Police Department. You couldn’t ask to work with a better group of people.”

Officer Nathaniel Brass
Officer Nathaniel Brass

Officer Brass joined our department In March of 2020 after being a member of the Rockford Police Department for 18 months. A former Rock Valley College Fire Science student, he enjoys spending time meeting new students as they continue their educational journey.
 
When not at work, he enjoys socializing with his friends and spending time with his dog, Gauge.
 

Headshot of Michael
Officer Michael Reiman

Officer Reiman comes to the Rock Valley College Police Department with over 30 years of Law Enforcement experience. Officer Reiman retired from the Elmhurst Police Department in 2015 (1988-2015). He served the Elmhurst Police Department enthusiastically as a DARE Officer, Juvenile Officer, Alive at 25 Instructor, Emergency Vehicle Operator Course (EVOC) Instructor as well as implementing the city's Peer Jury Program where he served as its very first coordinator (2005-2015).

After retiring and relocating to the Stateline area, Officer Reiman joined the Rockton Police Department (2015-2020) where he served on the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Labor Council Negotiation Team and proudly served as the School Resource Officer at Hononegah Community High School (2018-2020).

A few of Officer Reiman's Law Enforcement certifications include: Advanced School Resource Officer, Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) member, Alice Instructor, Breathalyzer Operator, Bike Patrol Officer, and Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement Training (ARIDE).

Officer Reiman enjoys spending every moment possible with his family and two grandchildren. He and his family look forward to being a part of the RVC community and supporting its mission. Go Golden Eagles!

RVCPD Officer John HoeksemaOfficer John Hoeksema

Officer Hoeksema joined the Rock Valley College Police Department in May of 2021. He began his law enforcement career in January of 1993 with the Rockford Police Department. he is a graduate of Western Illinois University and a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Theresa James, Emergency & Risk Management Coordinator
Theresa James, Emergency & Risk Management Coordinator

Theresa James is an accomplished emergency manager with extensive experience spanning almost 20 years of Incident Command and Emergency Response. In an emergency management capacity, Theresa has either coordinated response and recovery or participated in a myriad of emergencies, disasters, and exercises to include severe weather, floods, tornadoes, public health outbreaks, hazardous materials-radiation, mass fatalities, and air crash incidents.
 
In addition to her current emergency and risk management responsibilities, Theresa volunteers her time between Loves Park Fire Department as a Planning Chief and as a board member for the Greg Lindmark Foundation.
 
Theresa holds many certifications related to Emergency Management including the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, MD; Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) in College Station, TX; Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI) in Champaign, IL; and Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) in Oak Ridge, TN. She has also been a presenter for the CDC as well as the national conference for the National Association for County & City Health Officials on the Integration of Emergency Management with Daily Operations. She has authored numerous table-top, functional, and full-scale exercises to train, rehearse, and evaluate the effectiveness of response by local, regional, and state jurisdictions. Prior to joining our department, Theresa co-authored the 2019 Full Scale Active Shooter exercise at Rock Valley College with Chief Rick Jenks.
 
Theresa comes from a background in corrections through the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department, completing her training at the Police Training Institute at the University of Illinois. She has also been trained in the health care industry where she was responsible for designing policies governing work-place safety, health and environmental services, and accreditation. She has developed management training programs that included the understanding of basic emergency management and processes, establishment of procedures for the receipt; distribution; and consumption of the Strategic National Stockpile, and disposal of hazardous waste. She has implemented procedures for oversight of safety, accreditation, and regulatory compliance.Theresa has also served as President of the Winnebago County LEPC (Local Emergency Preparedness Committee) local-level emergency management organization and as a member of an Advisory Panel for an Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA).
 

Julie Boggie, Administrative Assistant III
Julie Boggie, Administrative Assistant III

Julie began her career at Rock Valley College in 1997, joining the Police Department in 1999. She was promoted to her current Administrative Assistant III position in early 2020. Julie's responsibilities include Law Enforcement Systems Administrator, Campus Security & Access Support, Compliance & Reporting, and Assistant to the Chief of Police. She also holds certificates from the National Incident Management Systems and assists with Emergency Preparedness efforts. Among her other duties, Julie works with eleven other law enforcement agencies and other emergency responders on a county-wide integrated computer-aided dispatch and records management system. Julie also organizes team-building events as well as a yearly donation drive for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation and the Salvation Army Food for the Needy Drive.
 
During her personal time, Julie most enjoys spending time with her family. She runs her own DJ business and is an accredited complementary therapist who teaches personal enrichment classes, including some for the Rock Valley College Community Education program.