Crime & Safety

City Council to Vote on Expanding Police Force

Council members will vote on whether or not to hire two additional police officers to the city's force during Tuesday's City Council meeting.

City Council members will once again focus on the issue of safety in downtown Naperville tonight. 

Council members will vote on whether or not to hire two additional police officers to the city's force during Tuesday night's meeting. The police department requested the hires after the city approved an additional late-night liquor permit for Empire at Ballydoyle, 48 W. Chicago Ave., earlier this month.

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Naperville police have curbed downtown incidents as of late, however, six people were charged and one employee was injured after a bar brawl broke out at BlackFinn American Saloon, 16 W. Jefferson Ave., on May 12.

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Earlier this month, Police Chief Bob Marshall said that even without the addition of Empire at Ballydoyle, the department "doesn't have enough resources to police the downtown."

Along with the current day-time downtown beat officer, the police department would like to add night-time beat officers as well, according to the city.

The full cost for each additional officer would be about $83,000 with benefits, according to the city. To cover the cost, the city is considering applying for a Community Oriented Policing-Services (COPS) federal grant, which pays for 75 percent of an officer's salary for three years. The remaining 25 percent is paid for by the city.

According to the city, $75,000 is also budgeted to help offset the cost of police enforcement for the downtown area and the new hires would qualify for Tier 2 benefits. 

In February, City Council approved a police department request to hire three new police officers. Those three vacant positions are estimated to have a first year salary savings of $78,159, or $26,053 per position.

In the last three years, the number of sworn positions within the Naperville Police Department has been reduced by nearly 13 percent.

If the hiring request is approved, the two new officers would be ready for patrol duties around March 13, 2014, according to the city. 


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