Public Safety Minutes 2002 10-24-02 APPMED
CORRECTED
UNITED CITY OF YORKVILLE
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMTTTE MEETING
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24,2002
6:30 PM
In Attendance:
Alderman Larry Kot Alderman Rose Spears Alderman Mike Anderson
Chief Harold Martin Mayor Art Prochaska
APPROVAL/CORRECTION OF MINUTES: August 22,2002
The minutes were approved,pending notification by the members of any errors.
MONTHLY POLICE REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER 2002
Chief Martin reported that a mileage correction was made on the September report. Alderman Anderson stated the
report looked good after this correction. Chief Martin is putting together a monthly summary report for the
committee,to make it clear what incidents occurred and he suggested this report will be more of an informative
and true telling of all details,eg.broken windows,cars locked/unlocked,fraud,burglary items stolen. Should
there be any questions when end of month statistics are analyzed,the report would assist in answering needed
questions,especially as the number of incidents increase proportionately with the population.
Chief Martin noted that the department had almost 300 hours of training during the month,including supervisory
training this month for two officers,forty hours per officer. He noted that state audits,in the past,have been very
good,including necessary ADA.and OSHA issues,and ongoing training,and he wants this to continue. Chief
Martin wants to have all officers receive juvenile training. Alderman Spears asked if the states checks on training
periodically. Chief Martin stated juvenile,quick respondor,CPR and ADA training is logged and reported to the
state periodically. Alderman Anderson noted that the officers are members of NEMRT. Chief Martin said a
yearly fee of$75 per officer is paid for NEMRT,Northeast Mult-Regional Training,which does offer some
excellent and free training for the officers(eg.breath alchohol and truck training). In addition,noted Chief
Martin,ongoing specialty training,if there is a cost,is usually offered at a reduced rate for members of NEMRT.
Alderman Kot asked if we are doing any ace details for alcohol enforcement. Chief Martin stated that if a state
grant is involved we are often included,for instance a roadside safety check. Alderman Kot suggested that this
particular alcohol check may not be grant driven,and suggested Martin contact District 5 and Kevin Shaunessey.
Chief Martin,in discerning this"undercover"detail was for underage alcohol purchases,said the department did
one last year,and in conversation with Mayor Prochaska,has been persuaded to do another toward year's end
Alderman Kot suggested we take advantage of all state help,and said that the business owners should not be
alarmed,or feeled harrassed,if they are complying legally. Chief Martin said alcohol purchasers at the Jewel Osco
stores are coded in with a license ID,in order to complete their purchases. He will check further on this procedure
and when it started.
Alderman Kot asked about an incident on the report on the 19th and whether the assault happened at this residence
or whether it was reported at this address. Alderman Spears asked if the traffic report incidents are fewer because
of training received by the officer,and Chief Martin said that was the case and also noted that the department has
been working overtime,and some of the officers are very tired
LIQUOR AND DOG ORDINANCE REVISIONS
Mayor Prochaska met with Jewel-Osco after the retail theft there three or four months ago. May Prochaska
wanted to see the liquor area secured after hours-initially Jewel-Osco agreed to put shopping carts,secured with
cords,across the open aisles,which was okayed by Mayor Prochaska after visiting with Bill Dettmer regarding fire
codes. Police officers have checked the liquor area in the store,stated Mayor Prochaska,and the aisles were not
sectioned off,but he stated that Jewel-Osco has since agreed to buy gates.
Jewcl-Osco officials asked Mayor Prochaska if we required any other establishments to section off their liquor.
He states that generally we never have,and also that there is no set number of licenses for package liquor. Mayor
Prochaska stated Dan Kramer said we cannot arbitrarily tell someone now that they cannot have a license,without
a good and legal reason. Mayor Prochaska is suggesting a new ordinance,stating that past the hour of liquor sales
and if the establishment is open after hours that the liquor must be locked away by a gate or doorway,or if the
liquor is in aisles,those aisles need to be cordened off. Alderman Anderson believes that Shell has a cooler where
liquor is placed after hours. Mayor Prochaska's argument,when asked about the requirement of other businesses
to section off their liquor,was that the city did not mandate the Jewel-Osco's store arrangement,and that the store
is arranged making it too convenient for a liquor theft,especially when staff numbers are lower.
Alderman Anderson questioned what businesses open after 1 AM are doing now. Chief Martin says he does not
believe anything is being done in businesses now after hours,and if they are doing something,they are doing it
without city ordinances,just on their own. Mayor Prochaska believes it should be mandatory to partition or secure
liquor after hours and we need to be consistent in our ordinance with all establishments. Dan Kramer recommend
a sunset clause to give current businesses a chance to voice concerns.
FINGERPRINT AMERICA
Chief Martin showed the members of the committee child identification packets. Chief Martin reported that Sgt.
Ron Diederich spoke with Jewel-Osco,and suggested that they co-sponsor a child identification day,in
conjunction with their OctoberFest from 9-5 on Saturday,October 26. All parents are given packets,which
include fingerprinting guidelines and identification papers for each of their children,take the packets home,fill
them out,and put them in a safe place,bringing a packet to law enforcement officers if there ever is a missing
child in the family. Alderman Kot said he would be more comfortable with trained officers doing the
fingerprinting. The department cost will be$400,one-half the entire cost of the packets for 600 packets. The
majority of the packets will be handed out at Jewel-Osco. Sgt.Diederich will have the Dare vehicle and the
expedition at Jewel over the weekend,and the department will have a give away area. Alderman Kot applauded
the miative of the department,and suggested a press release prior to the giveaway,which Chief Martin will check
into,alerting others of this cooperative effort with Jewel-Osco. Chief Martin said pictures would be taken on
Saturday and would be released to the Kendall County Record for publication. Chief Martin said all children will
be able to have a packet available to them and that further cooperation will be sought at the Yorkville schools.
ADDITIONAL BUSINESS
Alderman Kot suggested the date of the next meeting be changed because of the Thanksgiving holiday.
The new date will be Wednesday,November 20th.
Alderman Kot voiced his concerns that the department pay special attention to areas that are undergoing
construction. It is becoming a problem,with tools and valuables reported being stolen. Chief Martin
said they are attempting to concentrate on the newer area as much as possible and are aware of issues there.
Mayor Prochaska commented on the Moser annexation, stating that the police department's area of coverage would
expand to to Galena Road-east of Storybrook,and Kennedy and Mill Roads would both become city streets. He
would like to look at all annexation agreements,asking for monies up front from the developers to aid in the
additional costs associated with adequate police coverage. As the geographic area expands,expectations for safe
streets increase,especially in construction areas,as stated by Alderman Kot. It does pull the force from more
heavily populated and established areas of town,to the outer construction areas that require policing. Thus,the
population may not be as dense in the outlying areas,but the geographical responsibility grows. Mayor Prochaska
suggested that we need one more police car and three shifts of staff to man the car. Alderman Kot concurs with
Mayor Prochaska's concerns and suggested policy with developers,but believes the policy needs to be consistent
with other developers,not just singling out the newly proposed Moser annexation.
Chief Martin suggested with the new annexation,it may take 15-20 minutes to travel across town,which gives the
force less time to police,especially with just 2 officers on duty. He stated machinery,lumber,appliances,and air
conditioning units are disappearing in construction areas. Alderman Anderson mentioned with a recent fatality,
only two officers were on duty,both of them at the scene,which put the rest of the jurisdiction at greater risk of
less police protection. Mayor Prochaska suggested that Dan Kramer be consulted about the justifications
regarding additions to the police force. Alderman Anderson said it may provide a good marketing tool to advertise
good police protection,and Alderman Kot suggested homeowners certainly will be more comfortable knowing they
are better protected.
Alderman Spears asked if we would be reviewing budget before new officers are added to the force. Chief Martin
stated that it will take a minimum of 6 months to train every new officer for duty on the street. Chief Martin has
been looking at relief factors and shifts. The officers voted on 12-hour shifts,and are willing to go to these shifts
when asked to do so. If this happens,there would be 4 units,with a sergeant in charge of each unit as well as two
officers. This makes rotation possible,with a relief factor built in for overtime and time off factors. One person
per unit would be filling in for this shift. This would bring the total on the force to 16 people,and there is l lnow.
Chief Martin reported on a Northwestern study,stating that after the first 45 days the program becomes more
cohesive. About 180 days are worked and 180 days are off annually-they work fewer days with more time off.
Alderman Kot was concerned about court issues,of which Chief Martin says he has documentation regarding this.
Chief Martin says most of the officers are working 10 hour shifts now,and he suggested the officers speak with
others in the profession who are working these 12-hour schedules before they voted on the proposal.
In answer to Mayor Prochaska question about the number of cars,Chief Martin said there would be three cars on
the streets and a supervisor on duty at all time with this schedule. Sgt.Diederich would become a supervisor for
the time being,until another supervisor was hired With crimes rates a concern in nearby Aurora,Kane county,
and Joliet to the south,Chief Martin believes we need to begin preparating now for the safety of the increasing
numbers of citizens. Chief Martin likes the supervisor on duty at all times,assisting new officers with questions
they have. Alderman Anderson says officers seem to like this scheduling,once the initial"getting used to"process
has been complete. Chief Martin says scheduling now is a nightmare because the hiring process is lengthy and
training for new officers must be complete before they can control the streets,thus the department is somewhat
short-staffed
Alderman Kot suggested he would like to see some scheduling on paper and Mayor Prochaska said timing for
funding is good Chief Martin will prepare a spreadsheet for the next meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 7:30 PM.
Repectively submitted,Annette Williams
Corrections by Annette Williams