Youth Empowerment Program

Officer Will Yucaitis has served with the Elgin Police Department for 15 years, starting his career on night shift patrol. During his time on patrol, he became an evidence technician. Officer Yucaitis also served on EPD's SWAT team for approximately six years. Officer Yucaitis worked in the Special Investigations Group (SIG) for 10 years as a Detective and is currently assigned to dayshift patrol. Officer Yucaitis is certified in Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) and is a member of the EPD's “Operation Shattered Stars” peer support group.

Detective Mike McCarthy started his career in policing in 2003 with the West Dundee Police Department before being hired by the Elgin Police Department in 2014.  Detective McCarthy has been assigned to the Special Investigations Division since 2017 and has served with the Drug Unit and the Special Investigations Group (SIG).  He is currently the gang intelligence officer for the Special Investigations Group and assists Elgin School Resource Detectives with gang recognition training.  Detective McCarthy is also certified in Crisis Intervention Training (CIT).  

Just months after graduating from Larkin High School early January 2001, Jeff was incarcerated. From April 2001 to 2009, he was constantly in and out of the penal system, and then from 2009-2014 he was incarcerated in the Illinois Department of Corrections for various crimes, including drug charges.

While incarcerated, Jeff lost his sister to a car accident and was not allowed to attend her funeral as he was deemed a flight risk. When he was released in December 2014, he pledged to change his life. By June of 2015, he landed a job as a machine operator. He still works for the same company, but is now part of the upper management team. In 2019, Jeff got married and bought his first house. Jeff currently serves on the City's Human Relations Commission. Jeff also serves on the U-46 African American Parent Leadership Institute and as a volunteer coach for the Elgin Bears football team. He has become an upstanding citizen for his community, a proud father of five, he offers support to his nephew and niece and any other young adult in need. In effort to right his wrongs, Jeff is committed to helping others in his community.  

Aaron is a proud Elgin community member and U-46 graduate raised locally by a single mother. During his childhood he belonged to many City and school-run youth organizations that ranged from after school care to faith and athletic programming. It was through these programs that he developed life-long friendships, found mentors, and gained a sense of confidence. All of this helped him not only while he was growing up, but were fundamental to the man he has become.

Though he always loved participating in sports, it was on the field at Elgin High where Aaron developed his love of football that would, ultimately, shape his life. His assistant coaching role at his alma mater allows him to draw from his childhood experiences and positively engage with the youth of Elgin. This is an opportunity he knows he is uniquely suited for because of his firsthand knowledge of what it means to grow up in the Elgin community and how vital City programming can be in the structure and resources that their organizations provide.

Aaron looks at the opportunity to help individuals in Elgin as a way to pay forward what the City has done for him. The community, collectively, provided the second parent in his life and the chance to do that for others is what motivates him to continue to push and believe in the next generation of children from Elgin.

Councilman Dixon was born and raised in Elgin. His family moved to Schaumburg, Illinois where he attended elementary school and a year of junior high. Later, his family moved back to the area and he would go on to complete the rest of his schooling; graduating from Abbott Middle School and attending Larkin High School, but would later graduate from Elgin High School. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management from Grambling State University, a Master’s Degree in Public Administration with a concentration in government from Keller Graduate School of Management and a Certificate in Non-Profit Board Leadership from Northwestern University’s Kellog Center for Nonprofit Management & United Way Board Leadership Institute. He is a former Commissioner with the City of Elgin’s Image Advisory Commission and Planning & Zoning Commission. Councilman Dixon currently serves as a Liquor Commissioner with the City of Elgin; Past-Board Chairman & current board member of Greater Family Health, Alignment Collaborative for Education Board of Directors and Food for Greater Elgin Board of Directors. Councilman Dixon is also a former Classroom Facilitator with School District U-46’s African-American & Hispanic Parent Leadership Institute, Founder of Elgin's Annual Back to School BBQ Bash and Co-founder of the Making Space art project. He's an active Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the Mu Alpha Lambda Chapter. Councilman Dixon currently works for the Kane County Sheriff’s Office where he serves in the role of Senior Assistant Director of Administration. Councilman Dixon is married to Janelle Dixon, Esq. and they are the parents of three girls: Jada, Corinne and Kali. He and his family are members of Second Baptist Church of Elgin, where Councilman Dixon serves as a Deacon.