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Trustee raises immigration enforcement worries; police chief stresses strict background checks for hires
Summary
A trustee asked what parameters the village has if former federal immigration officers seek local police employment; Chief Johnson replied the department uses thorough personnel file reviews, online checks and psychological screening before hiring.
A trustee told the board they were concerned that federal immigration enforcement activity might increase in the area and asked what parameters the village would use if former federal enforcement officers or other law enforcement applicants sought employment with the Hanover Park Police Department.
"We have been one of the smarter villages in making sure that our property is not used for ICE enforcement," the trustee said, and asked how the village would approach hiring if such applicants came forward.
Chief Johnson responded that the department performs a comprehensive background investigation for all applicants. "We look very deeply at their personnel file," he said, noting the review includes looking for discipline, complaints, lawsuits and online searches, and that psychological testing is part of the process. He added the department is "very picky about who works here" and would be careful about hiring applicants who might have been problematic at previous agencies.
The exchange was advisory; no policy change or formal direction to staff was recorded during the meeting. The trustee thanked the chief for the explanation and the meeting moved on to other trustee remarks.
