Liaison officers back at U-46 middle schools

Elgin Area School District U-46 middle school students and parents: notice anything unexpected on campus this first week of class?

Elgin police liaison officers are back, full-time, at Abbott, Kimball, Larsen and Ellis middle schools.

After a summer-long back and forth, the city of Elgin and U-46 are close to finalizing an agreement providing for school liaison officers at a reduced rate.

In June, the district said that Elgin police would be asking for a 25-percent increase in their officer reimbursement at the same time other departments whose towns fall within U-46 agreed to lower their costs.

Like U-46, in light of budget shortfalls, the city of Elgin has downsized staff and done restructuring at the police department.

The move would have forced the district to cut the number of officers at Elgin middle schools, with four schools sharing two officers instead of having one apiece.

Deputy Police Chief Jeff Swoboda said that after negotiations, police agreed to stick with the same agreement as last year.

U-46 will pay Elgin $57,282 per officer to work 178 days at Abbott, Kimball, Larsen and Ellis; along with Elgin, Larkin and Gifford Street Alternative high schools, a total cost of $400,909.

"Nothing will be directly cut because of this agreement," Swoboda said.

U-46 officials declined to comment before the contract came before the school board.

The school board will vote on the agreement, as well as one with Bartlett police Sept. 14.

Contracts have already been approved at reduced rates with Streamwood and South Elgin police.