Lisle officials discuss MOU to place police social worker at department

The Lisle Village Board Committee of the Whole on June 2, 2025, reviewed a draft memorandum of understanding proposing that Northeast DuPage Family and Youth Services supply a dedicated police social worker to the Lisle Police Department.

The memorandum of understanding, Chief Rodriguez said, would place a social worker employed by Northeast DuPage Family and Youth Services at the police station for about 20 hours per week; the agency is expected to seek grant funding from the 708 Lyle Township Mental Health Board to offset the pilot’s costs. The draft MOU term shown in the materials runs May 1 through April 30, 2026.

The social worker would be an employee of Northeast DuPage Family and Youth Services, Chief Rodriguez said: “This MOU represents the first step in securing a dedicated police social worker for our agency.” Rodriguez told trustees the role would offer counseling referrals, domestic-violence resources and officer training and that department policy and internal guardrails are being developed.

Trustee Lesniak said the village should create clear standard operating procedures, roles and responsibilities and a public communication plan so the social worker is not inundated with unrealistic expectations. “I think this is a fantastic initiative. I do have a couple things I wanted to talk about,” Lesniak said, adding that safeguards and training are needed.

Deputy Chief Gamorzak and Chief Rodriguez said another benefit is support for officers after traumatic calls. Deputy Chief Gamorzak described social workers’ role in critical-incident debriefing and longer-term follow-up for officers: “trauma picks its own time and place to come back.”

Trustees asked how the arrangement would work in practice. Chief Rodriguez said the social worker would be employed and paid by Northeast DuPage Family and Youth Services, and the MOU would initially match the village fiscal year; he said staff will collect usage data and budget information to evaluate whether the role should be expanded or adjusted after the pilot period: “we’re trying to be responsible, kinda dip our toe in, make sure that we’re doing it pragmatically and collecting all the available data before we make any big decision moving forward.”

Executive Director Shannon Hartnett of Northeast DuPage Family and Youth Services attended the meeting, Rodriguez said, and the agency is expected to bring staffing capacity and additional resources beyond a single social worker.

No formal vote was taken; trustees provided feedback and requested policies, communication plans and periodic budget data so the board can evaluate the pilot at the end of the MOU term. Next steps are execution of the draft MOU contingent on grant funding and staff reporting back with usage and budget information.