Winfield favors buying $32,000 study of police department efficiency
Winfield trustees, for the second time in two years, are trying to learn how to make their most expensive department more efficient.
Based on the unanimous support the action garnered Thursday night, trustees are expected to vote May 3 to hire a Lansing consulting firm, for $32,000, to evaluate the village's $2.5 million police department.
According to the agreement presented Thursday night, REM Management Services will spend the next 11-12 weeks interviewing city and police officials, hosting public meetings and conducting a “review of budget options including consolidation, civilianizing some functions and privatizing specific responsibilities of the department.”
Village Manager Curt Barrett, who commissioned the study at the direction of board members, said even while operating at the minimum recommended staffing levels the police department remains the largest department, “accounting for 57 percent of the general fund budget with more full-time employees than all other departments combined.”
All trustees including Tony Reyes, who says he “deplores studies,“ agreed the study is necessary and all options are on the table.
“This commission probably will end up with a nice-sized information packet of ways we can deal with our budget issues by doing a number of things. Nothing has been set in stone about what that will be,” Reyes said. “We have to find a way to live within the means we have, that you provided us with. We love our police department. We want them to have viable jobs and support their families.”
About a dozen residents, business owners and former police officers, however, told the board they believe this study is the first step to either outsourcing the department's duties to the DuPage County sheriff's office or a ploy by the village to garner sympathy for a referendum to bolster the village's police force.
Dennis Kurzawa, a retired DuPage County officer, said he believes the village is playing “political games” with the livelihood of the 19 members of the department.
“If you want a referendum, speak plain and say you want a referendum. Don't put it on the backs of these policemen,” he said. “Have the political courage to do it and save $32,000.”
Resident Heidi Vollmuth volunteers in the village's Emergency Management Services team and said she hopes the rumors of the village looking to outsource to the county are untrue. She called the process, so far, “a 6-year-old's game of telephone.”
“I can't see going outside to look for a different source if you're not going to use the resources you already have. If you add years of experience of your police officers, it's 225 years of experience. Start with them first,” she said. “Bring them to the table and let them help you solve the problem. Get to know what you already have. Use your resources. If you've really got something else in mind you owe it to (everyone) to be truthful and honest.”
The board is expected to approve the study May 3 and discuss the results at a committee of the whole meeting approximately three months after that.
“We're not saying we won't have a police force. We are just looking at combinations of opportunities to consider moving forward,” said Trustee Jack Bajor. “I am in favor of the study. We need to have that tool and opportunity before we decide where we go from here.”