Darien considers proposals from law enforcement agencies
By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
The City of Delavan could provide police services to the Village of Darien for a $43,000 savings with one squad car dedicated to the village.
The city presented a proposal Thursday solicited by the village for providing 24-hour police services in the village beginning Jan. 1.
The village expected to hear another proposal – from the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department – on Wednesday.
The village is seeking options for providing 24-hour police department because of budget concerns. After hearing proposals from the city and county, the Village Board will consider the matter Nov. 19.
The village has toyed with the idea of outsourcing police services or scaling down its department since at least 2009 when it conducted an advisory referendum in which residents on a 203-152 voted indicated they were not in favor of reducing 24-hour police coverage in the village.
Village Board President Evelyn Etten as state shared revenue payments to municipalities continue to decrease, looking at agreements like this will become even more important.
“We can’t continue to go in this direction,” she said about providing existing services on the village’s budget.
Village Administrator Diana Dykstra told the city the village’s priorities are to maintain its full-time officers pending their ability to test into city department standards, maintain a full-time police department administrative office, and maintain 24-hour patrol coverage in the village.
City Administrator Denise Pieroni said under the city’s proposal, the village would become its own sector within the city department but would be an integral part of the department with access to all of the department’s specialized services. The city department, for instance, has two detectives and a school police liaison officer that could also serve the village.
Pieroni said the village police department would become a substation for the city police. Police Chief Tim O’Neill said the substation would be outfitted with the same communication equipment the city police department has and village complaints would be taken at the village substation.
Pieroni said the police department would add four new full-time positions if the agreement is approved and the village’s three full-time officers could apply for those positions. O’Neill said hiring those officers would be a priority for the city. Pieroni said the village’s part-time officers are also welcome to apply with the city.
Dykstra would not comment on what would happen with Darien Police Chief Hunter Gilmore’s position if an agreement is approved. Gilmore was on vacation and not available for comment.
Pieroni said the village would be allowed one ex-officio member to serve on the city’s General Operations Committee to have a say on issues related to the police department. The village would maintain its municipal court and any citation issued in the village would continue to be handled by that court.
Pieroni said the city would take over ownership of village police vehicles and equipment. O’Neill said the vehicles would remain in the village and continue to be marked as village vehicles. In the future, new city vehicles will add “serving the Village of Darien” to its markings. All officers would wear city uniforms, patches and badges.
According to the city’s proposal, one squad car would be regularly assigned to patrol the village sector seven days a week and it may be temporarily redeployed for police emergencies in other sectors. Other squads could be redeployed to the Darien sector if needed as well. O’Neill said while only one squad would be assigned to the village, others would routinely pass through.
Pieroni said the agreement would be a good fit for both communities. They already share a school district and similar demographics and, she said, the city understands the needs of the village.
Trustee Kurt Zipp asked if the same officers would be scheduled to patrol the village on a regular basis so the village could be patrolled by officers who are familiar with it.
“Our officers know our community,” Zipp said. “We don’t want to lose that synergy.”
Delavan Police Captain Jim Hansen said at first all the department’s officers would be rotated through the village until they knew the village well. Then the department could make regular assignments. O’Neill also said two city officers and one of its detectives live in the village.
“They have some officers who already live here,” Dykstra said. “They are respected members of the community who have an interest in protecting the community.”
O’Neill said the agreement would provide a seamless transition between the village and city services and the city could provide quicker response time than the county.
The proposal would cost the village $465,000 for 2013, $495,000 for 2014, and $525,000 for 2015. The contract would automatically renew annually after that, subject to the maximum fee adjustment calculation established for the fourth and fifth years of the agreement. Either party can terminate the agreement in writing with 11 months notice.
For the whole story please pick up the Nov. 15 edition of the Delavan Enterprise
