As of the spring semester of 2026, Joliet Junior College’s law enforcement program is led by a face new to JJC faculty. Jeremy “Sarge” Sims is the new coordinator for the program. Sims has worked in law enforcement for 26 years as a police officer and about four years as a deputy chief.
Throughout his career, Sims has had many opportunities and held many different positions, but he maintains that the most important part of it all has been community engagement. He feels he’s done all that he can in law enforcement and that now seeing the enthusiasm and passion from his students is what drives him.
Early in life, Sims knew that he wanted to make a career in conservation law enforcement, working for the Department of Natural Resources. When he found he wasn’t qualified, he decided to pursue a traditional police job while working on his education at the same time, in the hopes of eventually qualifying.
“I got hired at the police department that I’m with, fell in love with the community, fell in love with the job, and 26 years later, here I am,” Sims said.
Sims, despite being recently hired, is no stranger to the JJC community. For example, his wife, Amy Kuspa Sims, has worked in Student Activities since 2006 and currently serves as the director. Sims spent plenty of time on campus before working here, and he has always appreciated the amiable environment of the college.
“I like the welcoming nature; I like the fact that JJC gives its staff and faculty the ability to be creative and helpful to the students,” he said. “The atmosphere is just second-to-none.”
For several years, JJC’s law enforcement program did not have a full-time faculty member overseeing it. While the program has not necessarily suffered from this, the stability brought by having a full-time coordinator was certainly needed.
One of Sims’s major goals for the program is establishing a police and fire academy on campus to better prepare students for their future professions. An academy would make it possible for students to earn their certifications and kick-start their careers.
“I’ve been passionate about bringing a police academy to the south side of the Chicagoland area for a lot of years,” said Sims. “I think we’re going to be able to bring that home.”
Sims has accumulated many accolades throughout his career, including the title of his department’s Officer of the Year, an inspirational leadership award, and roughly 30 Medals of Merit. However, he’s firm in his stance that the most integral aspect of law enforcement is the impressions left by officers.
“You never know what kind of impact you’re leaving on society, but if you can make one person feel good, that person will make another person feel good, and we’ll get the best out of them,” Sims said.
While no one can state for certain what the future may hold, for now, it seems that JJC’s law enforcement program is in good hands.
