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Oak Park public-safety chief: staffing recovered but equipment costs are steep
Summary
Director Cooper said the department is budgeted for 61 officers (up from 42 after 2012 cuts) and listed major equipment costs — a prior ladder truck cost about $1.213M and a new engine will cost just under $1M — to illustrate why levy revenue is needed.
Director Cooper described the public-safety department's recovery from deep staffing losses after the 2012 recession, saying the force fell from 57 to 42 officers and is now budgeted for 61 officers. He framed staffing restoration and equipment replacement as core uses for the proposed levies and said the department provides police, fire and EMS services that require specialized vehicles and medical gear.
Cooper offered cost examples to show why renewal revenue matters: he said a ladder truck previously cost about $1.213 million and the engine the city plans to purchase this year will be just under $1 million. “They both serve different functions, but they're critical to the operation of our public safety department,” he said, linking the levies to capital and operational readiness.
