Quincy Police Chief Yates announces plan to retire later this summer

Published 8:00 pm Monday, May 11, 2026

QUINCY — After more than a quarter-century serving Quincy as a member of the police department, Chief Adam Yates has announced his retirement.

Yates was tapped to head the department following the retirement of Rob Copley and after Chicago Police veteran Jonathan Lewin turned down the position.

“To the citizens of Quincy, thank you for your trust and support,” Yates said in a statement in front of the Quincy City Council on Monday. “Policing is most effective when it is rooted in strong relationships, and I am proud of the partnerships we have built together.”

After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years, Yates joned the Quincy Police Department in 1999 as a patrol officer. In his time with the department, Yates has served in a variety of positions including being a member of the department’s Street Crimes Unit, working in investigations, as a patrol supervisor, and as the administrative services sergeant.

Along with his responsiblites in various positions, Yates was also an instructor for QPD in firearms, active shooter response, and spent 17 years as a member of QPD’s Emergency Response Team, Quincy’s equivalent of a SWAT team. Yates also led the department’s Crisis Response Team for seven years.

“I’m blessed and fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve our community as a Quincy police officer,” Yates said. “The work can be difficult, but it’s important and rewarding, especially when the community supports us the way Quincy does.”

Yates served as deputy chief under Copley for two years before he was selected to head the department in 2022 as the 33rd chief of police for Quincy.

In his statement to the council, Yates shared his appreciation for the work done by the men and women of the Quincy Police Department, both as his peers and during his time as chief.

“I am especially grateful to the officers and staff of the Quincy Police Department,” he said. “(Their) resilience, integrity and dedication inspire me every day. I have full confidence in (their) continued service to our community and in the leadership that will guide the department forward.”

In his tenure as deputy chief and later chief, Yates helped with the relocation of the department to the new offices adjacent to the Adams County Jail and oversaw the push to expand the ranks of the department following reductions due to retirements and other officer departures.

“Stepping away will be difficult. I love being a cop,” Yates said. “I love the city of Quincy, and I have been blessed with many opportunities throughout my career. Policing has been my life for 27 years, and that is about to end. I’m not sure you can adequately prepare for that.

“Policing is a team sport,” he added. “What I’ll miss the most is the collaboration with fellow officers and members of the community to identify problems and find solutions.”

Yates will continue in his role as chief into the summer while the city’s administration, including the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners, begin the task of finding the right candidate to be the city’s 34th chief of police. Yates said that he’s hopeful that all the men and women in his department reach the same point in their career that he has.

“My wish is for all our officers to stay safe, enjoy a long, purpose-filled career, and at some point get to where I am right now, happy, fulfilled and ready to move on to a new chapter,” Yates said.