Lake County approves police service for Deer Park
A new era of policing is coming to Deer Park, with Lake County sheriff’s deputies taking over patrol duties as of Nov. 15.
The Lake County Board on Tuesday overwhelmingly authorized the creation of seven full-time deputy sheriff positions to provide the service.
Just before the 22-1 vote, several board members emphasized the action was for an agreement to provide service and had nothing to do with any issues that may exist between Deer Park and neighboring Kildeer.
“This is no different from any municipality whose leaders come to us and ask for service,” said county board member Diana O’Kelly of Mundelein.
The contract calls for 24-hour coverage in the residential area and 17-hour coverage in the commercial areas.
The contract runs through 2014. Terms call for the village to pay the county $149,246 for service to the end of this year, and $232,015 to buy five squad cars to be marked “Deer Park”. The cost for police service for 2012 is about $1.2 million.
Deer Park had contracted with Kildeer for police service and was in the fourth year of a contract running until April 30, 2013. Kildeer was to have received $1.45 million this year.
But the Deer Park village board decided to end the contract because it claimed Kildeer had failed to address or correct concerns that had been raised.
That 6-0 vote on Oct. 17 came after “months of analysis, examination, questioning (and) intense study,” village Trustee Jim Denny told county board members.
In turn, eight full-time police officers will be laid off in Kildeer. The situation has become a focal point for the Deer Park Neighbors group that has questioned the transparency of the actions.
Deer Park Village Attorney Jim Bateman said the village has “carefully complied” with the Open Meetings Act.
“The village recognizes the right of our citizens to disagree with their elected officials,” he said. “For the village now, it’s time to move on. It’s time to improve the police protection of the village of Deer Park. We’re all excited about this.”
Deer Park officials last week held a public forum to explain why the contract was severed and to clear up alleged misinformation. A presentation by representatives from the sheriff’s office at that meeting was applauded by the audience.
Deborah Barry, secretary for Deer Park Neighbors, in a three-page letter emailed Monday to county board members lauded Kildeer police and asked the board to table the matter.
“All the Kildeer cops have had our backs and we ate and slept and walked our dogs in peace and safety. It’s our turn to cover them,” she wrote.