Prospect Heights Fire and Police Commission swears in Officer Ryan Hart and discusses community programs

The special meeting of the Fire and Police Commission for the City of Prospect Heights took place on April 2, 2025, at 4:00 PM. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Hoffman, with roll call confirming the presence of Commissioners Hoffman and Reebman, while Commissioner Feiredo was noted as absent with prior notice.

The first agenda item involved the approval of minutes from the previous regular meeting held on February 26, 2025. A motion to approve the minutes was made and seconded, followed by a roll call vote that passed unanimously.

The meeting proceeded without any new business or old business to discuss. However, there were significant departmental updates shared by Chief Dermen. Notably, Officer Ryan Hart was sworn in as a full-time police officer on March 28, marking the beginning of his first shift the following Monday. Chief Dermen expressed enthusiasm about Officer Hart's qualifications and experience.

Additionally, the department received recognition from a policy management company, achieving the gold level policy management award for 2024. This award reflects the department's commitment to maintaining internal police policies and completing monthly training requirements.

Chief Dermen also reported ongoing discussions with Northwest Central Dispatch regarding the potential implementation of an online citizen police reporting system, which is currently in the testing phase. This system would allow residents to report emergencies and crimes via a mobile application.

The meeting highlighted the successful completion of the Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) program, which was led by Sergeant Pardee D'Ole and volunteer coordinator Marcia Gendresse. The program concluded with a graduation ceremony for participants, who received training in emergency preparedness.

Upcoming events were also mentioned, including participation in the COP on a Rooftop event on May 16, which aims to support the Special Olympics.

The meeting concluded with no public comments and the scheduling of the next regular meeting for April 30, 2025, at 4 PM. A motion to adjourn was made and passed, bringing the meeting to a close at 4:04 PM.