Elgin police to double animal patrol

The Elgin Police Department plans to double its number of animal control officers by the end of the year.

“I've made it a goal that we have a second animal control officer,” Police Chief Jeff Swoboda said. “We want to make sure we can respond appropriately.”

Last spring, as the city council was debating a measure to declare all pit bulls in the city as “dangerous,” Mayor Ed Schock suggested the city create a dog licensing fee to pay for a second animal control officer.

The council eventually settled on harsher fines for all loose dogs that bite humans or other dogs, but didn't address hiring another officer.

As it turns out, the council won't have to.

Swoboda said the department recently purchased a new software system to track abandoned vehicles and notify their owners.

With that duty now computerized, Swoboda said, it will free up a community service officer to handle animal control complaints during the afternoon shift of 2:30 to 10:30 p.m.

“This is a perfect example of using technology to become more efficient,” Swoboda said.

The department's current and lone animal control officer, James Rog, works a 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift; if an animal complaint comes in while Rog is not on duty, a patrol officer will respond.

Swoboda said adding another officer will help with follow-up to loose dog complaints, interviewing neighbors and writing citations. A second officer also could help the department focus on education and outreach about the city's new dog laws, which took effect on June 1.

“Our ultimate goal is to respond to less animal calls,” Swoboda said.

Councilman John Prigge, who last spring had pushed for a set of laws that would apply only to pit bulls, said that at first he didn't think a second animal control officer was needed.

But now that the city adopted a different set of laws that carry fines of $1,000 for dog bites, Prigge believes another animal control officer is a wise move, especially if it doesn't add to the payroll.

“Now that we've adopted a very strict policy on loose dogs, dogs that attack and dogs without rabies vaccinations, this makes sense, sound public safety sense to have two (officers),” Prigge said.

Swoboda said he would open up the position to internal police department candidates and whoever was selected would have to undergo some additional training before hitting the streets.