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Itasca board approves police director agreement; department honored with military employer award and accreditation
Summary
The Itasca Village Board approved an employment agreement for Police Director Robert O'Connor and the department received an Above and Beyond award from the Illinois Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve and a tier-1 accreditation plaque.
The Itasca Village Board on Aug. 19 approved a resolution authorizing the police director employment agreement with Robert O'Connor, and the Itasca Police Department received two recognitions: an Above and Beyond award from the Illinois Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve and a law-enforcement accreditation plaque.
The board voted to approve Resolution 1651-25 authorizing execution of the village police director employment agreement with Robert O'Connor. The agreement had been discussed in executive session and reviewed by village personnel counsel before the public vote. The resolution passed on a roll call with Daley, Gavanas, Powers, Ayani and Christensen voting in favor; Trustee Leahy was absent.
The awards were presented during the meeting. Doug Wallace, chair of the local Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) area, said the Above and Beyond award recognizes employers that “go above and beyond what they have to do to help their . . . service member in his transition from their job back and forth.” Wallace presented the award to the department.
Sergeant Dan Kaltenbach, who said he has served in the Itasca department for 17 years and in the Coast Guard Reserve for 13 years, told the board the department helped manage pay and scheduling while he deployed and said village leaders and staff “work seamlessly to make sure that I'm taken care of when I'm gone.”
Lincolnshire Police Chief Joe Leonis presented the Illinois law-enforcement accreditation plaque. Chief Robert O'Connor told the board the department earned a tier-1 accreditation and plans to pursue additional standards next year. “If we are gonna have any type of standing with the community, we need to be able to, be transparent,” O'Connor said, adding the department will begin work on tier 2 after the current celebration.
Mayor Prine and board members joined staff in recognizing the department; the mayor later asked O'Connor to sign a written statement of support. O'Connor thanked the board for what he described as heartfelt support.
No changes to department policy or staffing were adopted as part of the awards; the formal board action on the employment agreement was the only ordinance/resolution vote tied to personnel that evening.
