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Lisle leaders discuss one-year MOU to place police social worker at station
Summary
The Village of Lisle Committee of the Whole reviewed a draft memorandum of understanding with Northeast DuPage Family and Youth Services to station a social worker roughly 20 hours per week at the police department, contingent on outside grant funding and a one-year MOU term.
The Village of Lisle Committee of the Whole on June 2 reviewed a draft memorandum of understanding to place a police social worker at the Lisle Police Department for roughly 20 hours per week, with the position to be employed by Northeast DuPage Family and Youth Services and funded in part by an anticipated grant from the 708 Lyle Township Mental Health Board.
The item was introduced by Chief Rodriguez, who said, “We are proposing a memorandum of understanding between the village and Northeast DuPage Family and Youth Services, NEDFIS,” and described the position as a way to “provide more comprehensive, compassionate service to those in need, especially in situations where mental health support is essential.” The draft MOU would run from May 1 through April 30, 2026, and the social worker would be an employee of NEDFIS using office and interview space at the police station.
Trustees voiced broad support while asking staff to define roles, limits and outreach. Trustee Lesniak called it “a fantastic initiative” and urged development of standard operating procedures and a public communication plan so the social worker would not be “inundated with too much expectation.” Trustee Simon asked whether the social worker would be available to officers after traumatic incidents; Chief Rodriguez responded that police social workers often assist officers with critical-incident debrief and ongoing counseling, saying, “This kind of critical incident debrief, social workers actually coordinate that and they do a fantastic job.”
Chief Rodriguez and other trustees said the village will treat the MOU as a pilot tied to grant funding and data collection. The social worker would remain an NEDFIS employee, and staff said they intend to gather usage data during the MOU year to evaluate whether to expand hours or consider other arrangements. Chief Rodriguez noted the village and NEDFIS “are developing policy” and emphasized the need for internal training and clear boundaries to make the pilot sustainable.
No formal vote was taken at the June 2 Committee of the Whole; the discussion served as a board briefing and to elicit input before any final MOU execution. Trustees asked staff to return with implementation details, operational policies and budget implications if the grant funding is secured.
Background and next steps: Northeast DuPage Family and Youth Services — referenced in the meeting as NEDFIS — would employ the social worker and is expected to apply for funding from the 708 Lyle Township Mental Health Board. The MOU term in the draft covers one fiscal year; staff said they plan to collect data during that period and report back to the board on usage and recommended next steps.
