Trustees press for more police hires as overtime eats into budget

Trustees raised public‑safety staffing and overtime as a central concern after the finance presentation. One trustee said the police department is understaffed and that layoffs in prior years have not been reversed; another trustee emphasized the toll on officers and argued that hiring additional officers would reduce costly overtime.

Why it matters: staff reported the police department’s overtime through October totaled about $205,000, roughly $40,000 below the six‑month prorated budget for the year but consistent with a pattern trustees said stems from vacancy and retention issues. Trustees urged pursuing faster recruitment and testing (COPS/ICOPS) and working with the police and fire commission to shorten hiring timelines.

Trustees also discussed community‑policing approaches, including bike patrols and school safe‑passage programs, as ways to reduce crime and build trust. Several trustees said reinvesting one‑time TIF proceeds into public‑safety hires, training and infrastructure would be preferable to adding to recurring operational expenses.

One trustee told the board the village needs to improve officer residency recruitment to attract personnel who will patrol and live in the community. Trustees requested staff and the police chief contact the fire/police commission chair to discuss testing timelines and capacity.

Next steps: trustees asked staff to follow up with the police and fire commission chair about accelerating recruitment and return to the board with options for using TIF‑related funds for one‑time hiring incentives or pension paydowns that reduce long‑term overtime pressure.