CLEAR LAKE – Clear Lake’s Chief of Police has passed away.
Rex McChesney lost a battle with cancer Friday after being placed in hospice care.
The city of Clear Lake released a statement:
“It is with deep regret and a heavy heart that we can confirm that the City of Clear Lake’s Police Chief, Rex McChesney, passed away this morning after a courageous battle against cancer, at the age of 52. The City was notified by the family early this morning.”
“Rex was instrumental in overseeing the construction of the newly renovated City Police Department facility and left an enduring legacy of public service. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this most difficult time”, stated Mayor Nelson P. Crabb.
Earlier this year, Mayor Crabb recommended (then) Lieutenant Rex McChesney for confirmation to the post of interim Chief of Police by the City Council. He was formally appointed at the March 3rd City Council meeting.
Mr. McChesney was a life long resident of Clear Lake, graduating from Clear Lake High School in 1981. Upon graduating, he attended NIACC where he received an Associates degree in Lake Enforcement.
He began his law enforcement career in 1983 as a Correctional Officer for the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office. In 1986, he began working for the Clear Lake Police Department and attended the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in 1987. He worked as a patrol officer for the department until he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 2006 and as Interim Police Chief in March of 2014.
Rex resided in Clear Lake with his wife Jodie. They have two adult sons, Seth and Sean.
Rex was a great officer. He was a few years behind me in School but I knew him well. Good man with values, funny, fair, strait shooting are a few ways I can describe him, he was a shoe in for the chief job. I am sorry his life was cut short. My sympathy to his wife and family that I have not met.
Report, Report, Report…all you people do is run from the truth, and try and silence people you don’t agree with. I kept my comment respectful while addressing this man’s political position. If you don’t like it, don’t become a public figure.
And the bottom line is this man was the department head of the Clear Lake Police Department, and they were NOT doing their job properly, refusing to enforce Iowa law to the detriment and discomfort of thousands of residents. If you want me to sharpen my spear, I can. To my knowledge this man made ZERO arrests and gave ZERO warnings or fix-it tickets to those who terrorized the streets. Actually, I don’t have a damn tear in my body,but I was trying to be nice.
Philo, could you at least wait until his body/ashes are in the ground or spread to the wind? Sheesh… what IS it with you?
I made my comment, but people kept agging me on. IF you wear the uniform-with the ability to arrest and disrupt people’s lives for the State of Iowa: YOU FACE THE CONSEQUENCES. In this exceptional case police officers were NOT enforcing Iowa statute. There’s a simple way to win back your eulogy: DO THE RIGHT THING. Sort out ignorance, and start making correct decisions which protect the public good and serve the people: not propagandized special interests.
I wondered how long it would take you to jump all over this.
Your ministry?? what a frikken loon.
#maybe: I hope the remaining leadership in clear lake can do something to help the most vulnerable among us, tidying up their community by fixing the sidewalks, enforcing noise ordinances, and ending subsidies to the rich. Time on this planet is short. Let them set aside their egos, and do something good for the people. Jim, I have compassion for you too. Correct your policy blunder for the new year. Tony is ready to work with you.
@Maybe-Philly is a freakin space case. He should be locked up again just to protect the innocent.
What do you care, you are not in clear lake anymore, or are you.
Rex was a remarkable man and a role model for everyone who met him. He has been taken from this life far too soon, but he left a big impact on all who knew and loved him. Rest in peace, Chief.