Riverwoods board approves 10th sworn officer to bolster investigations and staffing stability

The Village Board voted unanimously to authorize a tenth full-time sworn officer position in the Riverwoods Police Department, a change the chief said would stabilize patrol coverage and let an investigator work full time on complex cases. Police Chief Dano told trustees the department is authorized for nine full-time sworn positions and routinely uses part-time officers or overtime to cover vacancies. He said adding a tenth authorized position would maintain two-officer coverage 24/7 when fully staffed and allow one officer who currently splits patrol and detective work to be reassigned as a primary detective. Chief Dano cited the recent home-invasion investigation as an example of a case that demanded substantial investigative hours and pulled a detective off patrol. He gave an estimated annual cost for the additional position of $141,440, based on the 2024 salary schedule and starting at step 4; he noted 2025 wage increases were still under negotiation. Trustee Graff asked whether adding a position would reduce overtime; the chief said overtime reductions were expected but were not included in the $141,440 figure. After discussion, a motion to create the full-time position passed on roll call; Trustees Raff, Smith, Trevino, Clayton and Jamerson voted aye. The board directed staff to account for the new position in the next budget process and to return with implementation details, including recruitment and start date projections. No layoffs or other staffing reductions were discussed.