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Consultants tell Warrenville council police department is sound but offers 37 improvements
Summary
A CPSM organizational assessment found Warrenville’s police department to be a well-performing small agency but recommended 37 improvements across administration, patrol, investigations, records and property/evidence; staff said many recommendations are already under review and an executive summary is posted online.
Craig Jeniger, a senior associate with the Center for Public Safety Management (CPSM), told the Warrenville City Council on Feb. 2 that an organizational assessment of the city’s police department found it to be a strong small agency but one with room to improve.
The assessment, a 128-page report that includes data analysis covering July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, recommends 37 actions ranging from simple operational changes to longer-term staffing and technology investments, Jeniger said.
Jeniger said the review combined a quantitative data pull from the CAD and records systems with a two-day on-site review and focus groups. “Warrenville was one of the better small agencies that we’ve looked at,” he said, citing the department’s low crime rate, strong employee morale and high level of community engagement. He added the report’s recommendations are grounded in national best practices and legal considerations.
Key recommendations include revising the department organizational chart and initiating succession planning for leadership positions; considering voluntary accreditation; ensuring CAD captures all work-related activities so officer time is accurately recorded; reinstating a second position in the traffic safety and enforcement unit; actively recruiting to fill two part-time officer positions; and keeping the crossing-guard program with the city unless a viable cost-sharing model with the school district is arranged.
On investigations and records, CPSM recommended implementing a case-management system, rotating the detective sergeant through detective assignments, establishing clear policies for closing criminal investigations, converting detective schedules to 10-hour shifts to improve work-life balance, and adding a part-time records/data-entry position to manage FOIA workload, especially for body-worn-camera requests.
The report also urged improved property-and-evidence controls — quarterly audits, additional cameras, temperature monitoring for evidence storage and more rigorous purging of adjudicated items — and suggested discontinuing acceptance of cash payments to reduce risk.
Chief Bonilla told the council that many of the recommendations align with work already underway. “A lot of these things we’ve already considered,” he said, noting that some items were included in the department’s strategic and work plans and that staff will review which recommendations are feasible for Warrenville.
Council members asked about public access to the report; staff confirmed an executive summary and the recommendation list are included in the meeting packet and posted on the city’s website. Mayor Andrew Johnson and council members indicated they expect staff to prioritize feasible recommendations and return with updates as projects move forward.
The council did not take formal action on the report at the Feb. 2 meeting; Jeniger said CPSM will be available for follow-up questions and support as the city considers implementation.
