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Residents press Walton board on officer's rank and staffing levels
Summary
Residents at a Walton village board meeting disputed a reported promotion, saying there's "no such rank detective," and raised concerns that the department lacks enough full-time officers; the board discussed using experienced part-time officers and potential pay adjustments.
Residents at the Walton village board public input period challenged recent reports about a local officer's status and urged the board to address staffing shortfalls.
One speaker said there had been "a statement last month that he was going to be a detective" but added "there's no such rank detective so he will remain a police officer," emphasizing that the officer would work part time. Residents and board members also noted the village currently has four full-time officers and argued the department should aim for at least five or six to cover vacations and leave.
The discussion turned to part-time staffing and pay. A participant said the village historically capped part-time pay at $25 an hour but that for a long-serving officer the board had discussed increasing it to about $28. Several speakers recommended hiring experienced part-time officers to provide coverage without incurring full-time benefits costs.
Board members framed the conversation as a balance between coverage and budget. They described part-time hires as a way to reduce expenses while improving shift coverage and urged staff to evaluate options.
The meeting moved on after the public comment period; the board did not announce a formal personnel decision at this meeting.
