Chief: Palatine police use early-warning system to ID problematic officers
Palatine police use a system to identify potentially problematic employees and provide officers with annual training on the use of nonlethal force, Chief David Daigle told village leaders Monday. Daigle addressed the issues during Monday's village council meeting, held four days after a peaceful protest over George Floyd's death drew several hundred to the corner of Palatine and Quentin roads.
His remarks also coincided with a village council vote on a new three-year labor contract for officers.
Palatine officers are trained "with a focus being that all police activities must be free from bias, prejudice or animosity," Daigle said. Their training includes de-escalation techniques and nonlethal force.
The department has a neighborhood-based policing philosophy that includes sponsoring an annual camp for at-risk youths, he added.
When it comes to identifying potential problems within the ranks, the department since 2001 has utilized an early-warning system designed to monitor the behavior of department members and address issues immediately.
"The men and women of the Palatine Police Department condemn intolerance and reject oppression," Daigle said. "Rather, our staff embraces diversity and believes in fair and impartial justice for all people. We believe wearing the badge represents the highest level of service and integrity in our community, who demands that we never do anything to violate their trust."
Before Daigle spoke, Palatine Mayor Jim Schwantz said questions have arisen over police practices and policies as a result of Floyd being killed while under arrest by Minneapolis police.
"I can assure everyone we have some of the finest men and women protecting our citizens," Schwantz said. "We are fortunate to live in a community where the police are highly trained and exercise outstanding judgment."
Later in the meeting, council members approved a three-year contract with the Fraternal Order of Police union. Officers, who ratified the new deal May 28, will receive a 2.5% pay increase this year, followed by hikes of 2.5% in 2021 and 2.25% in 2022.
This year's union base pay scale goes from $76,858 to $105,810, according to the contract. The previous contract expired Dec. 31, 2019.