Part-time cops “wave of future” in Carpentersville

A new program to hire a pair of part-time police officers in Carpentersville is being dubbed a “wave of the future.”

In an effort to reduce nearly $500,000 in police overtime costs, Carpentersville last week gave the OK to hire part-time officers, who will make $18 per hour, go through the same training and carry the same credentials as the village’s full-time officers, Deputy Chief Dean Stiegemeier said. Attempts to reach the police union for reaction were unsuccessful.

The part-timers would start out working two, 8-hour shifts a week and as needed when full-time officers are taking time off. Their duties also will include event coverage details and supporting full-time officers in emergencies. “These officers are going to have to be ready at a moment’s notice,” Stiegemeier said. “I think this is a wave of the future.”

The department of 62 sworn officers is down six officers from 18 months ago, forcing some to work overtime. The department budgeted $445,278 for the 2011-2012 overtime budget, a figure down nearly 10 percent from the previous year, but still too high, officials said.

The part-time officers will be at-will, non-unionized employees who do not fall under the police contract and do not receive raises, health insurance or other benefits, including pension contributions.

While they will be making $18 an hour, a full-time officer with a bachelor’s degree makes $37.90 an hour. An officer’s overtime rate is $56.85 an hour, so the savings to the department would be $38.85 an hour a part-timer works versus a full-timer on OT.

The village would ideally like to pick up officers who were laid off in other towns due to budget constraints or retired cops who pass the required tests.

“Those are our target selectees,” Village Manager J. Mark Rooney said.

But the village will have to pony up $8,895.64 for every part-time officer it hires.

Those costs are related to a criminal-background check, uniforms and other police-related equipment, a certified training program and physical, psychological and polygraph tests.

That’s the main reason Carpentersville is starting out with two officers, as opposed to three.

“Hiring additional officers would increase costs and not make this cost effective,” Stiegemeier said. “Plus, this is a new venture for us so we are treading lightly to ensure this will be a good fit for both the village and the police department.”

It is not known how much Carpentersville expects to save with this program, because there are several unknowns, including the number of requests for special events or the need to cover for full-time officers, Stiegemeier said.

Meanwhile, word is just starting to catch on about the new program.

In the four days since the department posted the advertisement online, Stiegemeier has fielded three phone calls and answered about a half dozen email inquiries. The department hopes to have the new officers in place by August.