The Rockford Police Relief Association
This is a members only website.
If this is your first time on this new website you will need to sign up for website access:
To sign up for access click on "Click Here To Login" located on the upper right and select "New to this site? Sign Up"
After you sign up you will need to be approved before you can access the website.
Comments or suggestions please email Andrew Hartman: Andrew.Hartman@rockfordil.gov
Latest News
What we do.
The Rockford Police Relief Association was formed March 13, 1906. The purposes of the Association are to develop in its members efficiency, intelligence and skill in the discharge of their duties; to cultivate the moral, intellectual and social well being of its members, their families and dependents; in the interest of a high standard of citizenship, to create a fund for the payment of medical disability and health benefits, directly or through insurance, to the members.
Rockford Illinois Police Department History
"The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future."
We hope to learn more about our past from the community we serve. If you have any facts, memorabilia, photos, etc. that would be useful to our department history project, please share those with us! We want our department history to be as complete and accurate as possible!
Taped 1984 interview with Chief Folke Bengston.
On November 19th, 1984 Retired Lieutenant Tom Gibbons interviewed Retired Chief Folke Bengston.
Chief Bengston was appointed to the Rockford Police Department on November 15th, 1920. He became Chief of Police in December of 1942 and Retired as Chief on December 31st, 1952.
I recently located the interview on two cassette tapes titled Bengston Tape 1 and Tape 2. It appears there is at least one more tape but it is unknown what may have become of that. I have digitized the tapes and uploaded the file here.
The tape is 1:31 long. (One hour 31 minutes).
At 1:16 (One hour 16 minutes) on the tape Chief Bengston describes how the Rockford Police Relief Pistol Range was acquired.
Tribute to Officers who passed in 2020
by: Mary Ogden
Retired Lieutenant Alan "Cuffy" Peterson
December 4, 1935 - February 5, 2021
It is with a mixture of relief and sadness that I tell you that Allen passed away peacefully this morning. Arrangements are with the Cremation Society of Illinois in Rockford. I have attached his obit that will be on their web site sometime next week. I will let you know when we will have the memorial service. It will be sometime this summer when our children can be here and hopefully this pandemic is under control.
My email is sharonmachmagic@aol.com if you want to respond.
Retired Investigator Denis J. Woody
December 25, 1948 - February 1, 2021
Retired Officer John C. Dahlberg
January 12, 1947 - December 12, 2020
Retired Officer Samuel E. Van Dyke, Jr.
April 21, 1942 - October 12th, 2020
Investigator Richard "Dick" Andersen
November 20, 1932 - October 6, 2020
Retired Traffic Sergeant William Smith
January 5th 1931-September 9th, 2020
Retired Captain Benny R. Dickison
November 12, 1936 - August 23, 2020
Retired Investigator Wayne Hoffman Sr.
April 19, 1936 - August 21,2020
Traffic Investigator Stephen K. Johnson
August 14, 1943 - June 25, 2020
Officer Lt. T. Davis
1939-2020
Sheriff's Dep. Michael Pollare
1938—2020
Sheriff's Capt. John G. Renfro
1936—2020
Traffic Investigator Dick H. Fry
1930—2020
Detective Bruce Olson
1949-2020
Lieutenant James Mays
1942-2020