Cresthill approves MOU to distribute state grant as retention/recruitment bonuses for sworn officers

Crest Hill — The Cresthill City Council on Aug. 4 approved a memorandum of understanding with the Metropolitan Alliance of Police Labor Council to use a grant from the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board to provide retention and recruitment payments to sworn officers, and to allocate $10,000 toward a promotional training video. Police Chief Ed Clark presented the MOU, which had been discussed at the prior work session and in executive session. Clark said the grant provides for two payments to sworn officers: an initial payment around 30 days from Aug. 25 and a later payment that would be delivered in January and run through February 2027. Clark said the goal is retention and maintaining staffing levels. He also said $10,000 of the grant funds would pay for a promotional training video designed to support recruitment. Council members emphasized the funds are grant monies from the Illinois Training and Standards Board and not general fund taxpayer dollars. Clark said he had communicated with the Standards Board’s legal staff and would continue to follow up to clarify how any returned funds would be handled; he told the council the department would ensure returned funds, if any, would be handled per the Standards Board’s rules rather than placed into the city’s general fund without authorization. The council approved a resolution (No. 1337) adopting the MOU by roll call. Recorded yes votes included Angelo Desario, Dorel Jefferson, Claudia Gonzales, Tina Oberlin, Mark Cipiti, Nate Albert, Joe Kuboff and Scott Dyke. Action: Council adopted a resolution approving the MOU and authorizing use of the Illinois Training and Standards Board grant for the described retention payments and recruitment video; staff to follow up with the Standards Board on legal handling of returned funds if necessary.