Lake County Times

The Buffalo Grove Police Department recently announced the promotion of three members to the rank of commander. Police Chief Brian Budds administered the oaths to Thomas Nugent, Tara Anderson, and Anthony Turano.

According to a press release from the Buffalo Grove Police Department, Nugent has been with the department for 34 years, having joined as a police officer in 1989. His career includes stints as a patrol officer from 1989-1992, an investigator from 1992-1997, technical services specialist from 1997-1999, traffic motorcycle officer from 2000-2001, investigations sergeant from 2003-2012, administrative services lieutenant from 2015-2018, and an investigations lieutenant until his recent promotion. Additionally, he served as a Lake County Major Crime Task Force investigator/supervisor from 2008-2012 and is currently an assistant commander with the task force since 2016.

Nugent's achievements include receiving the Outstanding Achievement Award twice and Honor Mentions three times. He was also named Employee of the Quarter and received the Cook County Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Award of Merit in 1996. Other accolades include a Life Saving Award and a Village Commendation in 1995. The Buffalo Grove Police Department press release also notes that Nugent received Special Recognition by the Lake County Major Crime Task Force (LCMTF) in 2023 and completed both Northwestern University Executive Management Program and FBI Executive Fellowship Program.

Anderson's service with the department spans over two decades since she began her tenure in 2000 as a desk officer. According to another Buffalo Grove Police Department press release, she was sworn in as a police officer one year later and subsequently climbed through ranks to become youth investigator between 2008 and 2014 before being promoted to Administrative Services sergeant in 2014 and staff support lieutenant in 2020.

Among Anderson's accolades are the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (ILACP) Rising Shields Award, Employee of the Quarter three times, and an honorable mention. She also received the Northwestern University Public Safety Executive Leadership Award in 2021 and became an ILACP Certified Eligible Police Chief in 2019.

Turano, a 17-year veteran of the department, was sworn in as a police officer in 2006. His career trajectory includes roles as an investigator from 2009 to 2010, a directed patrol officer from 2015 to 2020, and administrative sergeant from 2022 to 2023. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2000 and assumed the role of acting lieutenant in October 2023. Turano was also a member of Northern Illinois Police Alarm System (NIPAS) Mobile Field Force from 2012 to 2017 and served on the Lake County Major Crime Task Force from 2018 to 2020.

Turano's recognitions include being named Employee of the Quarter, receiving Life Saving Awards three times, Honorable Mentions twice, and being named Officer of the Year by his department in 2015. He has also completed training at Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command.