WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to advance the nomination of Brendan O. Heffner to serve as United States Marshal for the Central District of Illinois:

“Through many years of service to Illinois, Brendan Heffner has demonstrated strong qualifications to serve as United States Marshal. We expect him to serve with professionalism, responsibility, and a clear focus on the mission of the Marshals Service. We look forward to seeing his nomination through the full Senate.”

Get The Latest News!

Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.

Article continues after sponsor message

In May, Durbin and Duckworth announced the formation of three screening committees to assist the Senators in evaluating candidates for vacant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Marshal, and federal judgeship positions in Illinois. The task of the screening committees is to review and vet candidates for the vacancies and advise the Senators regarding the candidates’ qualifications and fitness for the position.

Brendan O. Heffner. Mr. Heffner is currently the Chief of the Bloomington, Illinois Police Department. He began his law enforcement career as a patrolman with the Normal, Illinois Police Department in 1985. In 1989, Mr. Heffner became a state trooper with the Illinois State Police, where he worked in drug interdiction, internal investigations, labor relations, and counterterrorism; he also supervised a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force. He rose through the ranks of the State Police, serving in command posts as Lieutenant, Captain, Commander, and, finally retiring in 2010, as Lieutenant Colonel. In retirement, he served as a Safety/Security Specialist for the State Farm Insurance Companies and as an instructor with the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System. He was hired as Chief of the Bloomington Police Department in 2013. Mr. Heffner holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mass communications from Illinois State University.

Prefer RiverBender on Google
Local news starts with you. Help keep our community informed. Your subscription supports reporting on the people, places, and stories that matter close to home.
Support Local Journalism
Copyright 2026 Riverbender.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

 

More like this:

YWCA, NCNW to Host Sept. 22 Candidate Forum in Alton
Sep 2, 2026
Don Tracy Congratulates Stratton, Urges Illinois Republicans to Keep Fighting
Nov 5, 2026
Jury Convicts Fugitive Of Shooting At U.S. Marshals Serving His Arrest Warrant
Oct 29, 2026
Greater Godfrey Democrats Encourage People to Vote in Midterms
Oct 28, 2026
Godfrey’s Christopher Sichra Honored In Veteran Salute
Nov 2, 2026