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Police advisory committee says 24-hour coverage not needed now, seeks role in hiring and will consider contract with Beatrice
Summary
At its March 10 meeting the Police Department Advisory Committee concluded local 24-hour police coverage is not currently needed, discussed contracting coverage with Beatrice, and asked to be more involved in reviewing applications, interviews and background checks; minutes were approved and the meeting adjourned.
The Police Department Advisory Committee met in council chambers on March 10, 2025. Committee Chairman Neil Van Boening called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m.; members in attendance included Lisa Munstermann, Jeff VanWinkle, Kelly Garcia, Jacque Borzekofski, Ted Huls and Krystal Rutti.
The committee approved the minutes of its previous meeting on a motion by Jacque Borzekofski, seconded by Jeff VanWinkle; the motion carried 6-0. During a discussion of vision and budget, Jeff VanWinkle presented numerical coverage calculations (the transcript notes he “gave some numbers” but does not record the figures). Based on that analysis, committee members agreed there is no current need for 24-hour police coverage and that patrol hours could be adjusted according to community activities.
Members discussed alternatives to round‑the‑clock staffing, including the possibility of contracting with Beatrice for coverage. The committee did not formalize a contract decision at the meeting; the option was discussed as an alternative worth pursuing.
Committee members also said they want greater involvement in the department’s recruitment process. The committee requested access to applications and asked to participate in interviews and background checks for prospective hires.
There were no formal votes recorded on coverage levels or hiring procedures at the meeting. The session ended when Jeff VanWinkle moved to adjourn; the meeting was adjourned at 8:28 p.m.
The committee’s next steps, as recorded in the meeting, are to pursue follow-up on the contracting option and to arrange procedures for committee participation in recruitment; no deadlines or assigned staff follow-up were specified in the transcript.
