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Public safety committee reports increased calls, weapons recoveries and staffing updates for Kankakee police and fire
Summary
The Public Safety Committee reviewed December and year-end public safety statistics, including arrests, weapons recovered, staffing levels, and fire/EMS workload; committee members approved monthly bills for police and fire.
Alderman Resenga reported to the City Council that the Public Safety Committee met Jan. 7 and reviewed monthly and year-end statistics for police and fire departments, including staffing levels, arrests, weapons recoveries and calls for service.
Chief Kidwell and Deputy Chief Austin presented police statistics for December: patrol handled 4,815 calls in the month, with 95 adult arrests and one juvenile arrest. For the full year, the police department handled 6,523 calls, made 1,231 arrests (including 25 juvenile arrests), and, according to the report, K- MEG and patrol together removed 134 weapons from the street in 2024.
Nut graf: The committee emphasized operational metrics—staffing, weapons recoveries and call volume—and approved the department's monthly bills. Members noted staffing remains a live operational concern even as some officers retire and recruits are in training.
The committee heard the department is currently staffed at 67 officers; the report noted 10 candidates on the hiring list and three recruits in a 16-week training class. Committee members were also told the department now has LEADS capability and about 175 precaution cameras operating.
Fire Department Chief LaRoche and Jeff Hyde reported the fire department was staffed at 49 personnel (budgeted for 51). The department handled 710 calls in December (139 medical calls) and responded to 27 fires during the year with a reported total loss of $788,900. The report recorded EMS billing collections for the year of $3,775,126 and fire-billing receipts reported as $21,500 for the year (figures as reported to the committee).
The Public Safety Committee approved the monthly police bills totaling $78,150 and the fire department bills totaling $83,896 during the committee meeting. The committee adjourned without an executive session.
Ending: Committee leaders said they will continue to monitor staffing and training pipeline progress and report monthly operational stats to the council.
