Kankakee police report 65 sworn officers, 30 firearms recovered in January; committee approves police bills

Chief Kidwell presented the Kankakee Police Department’s monthly report to the Kankakee City Public Safety Committee on Tuesday (date not specified), reporting current staffing, arrests and equipment, and explaining overtime increases tied to a January 1 homicide.

“We currently have 65 officers. We're budgeted for 67,” Chief Kidwell told the committee. He said the department has 38 officers in patrol, eight in investigations, one school resource officer, and various personnel in administration, the police academy and other units. He named officers at the academy as Christian Romero, Joseph Gubbins, Tyler Roode and Kahari Dardan.

Kidwell said the department recovered 30 firearms in January (16 recovered by one team and 14 by another) and has 175 cameras deployed across the city, and that a training bill for the University of Illinois totaling $14,868 will be reimbursed by the state. He attributed a large share of January overtime to detectives and officers working the homicide investigation on Jan. 1, including triple‑time pay because the incident fell on a holiday; department staff also expect reimbursement for a traffic detail.

The committee reviewed the month’s bills totaling $112,501.73. Alderman Cobbs moved to approve the bills; Alderman De Barras seconded. The committee approved the payment by roll call: Alderman Jones—Aye; Alderman O'Brien—Aye; Alderman Swanson—Aye; Alderman Navaros—Aye; Alderman Cobbs—Aye. The minutes from the prior meeting were also approved earlier in the session by voice vote after a motion to approve minutes was made and seconded (mover not specified in the record).

Committee members thanked the department for its work following recent tragedies; the chief noted that the emergency response team provided extra protection at wakes and repass events, contributing to overtime. Kidwell said the department continues to recruit and expects to hire additional officers in May.