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Elgin changes the police & fire board
The Daily Herald recently published an article discussing significant changes to the Board of Police and Fire Commissioners in Elgin. According to the report, the responsibility for hiring police officers and firefighters in Elgin will now rest with three local residents alongside the police and fire chiefs.
The Elgin City Council made this decision during a recent meeting, opting to alter the composition of the board, which has historically consisted of five members. However, due to vacancies, the board has effectively operated with only three members since 2010. Elgin, as a home-rule municipality, has the authority to establish its own regulations, and this move might make it the first city in the state to include the public safety chiefs in the board's decision-making process.
At a previous committee of the whole meeting last month, Mayor David Kaptain and council members John Steffen, Toby Shaw, John Prigge, and Terry Gavin supported expanding the board to include the two chiefs, the director of human resources, and two residents. However, during the most recent meeting, Steffen suggested removing the human resources director from the board while adding a third resident member. This adjustment aims to preserve the residents' traditional influence over the board while granting the police and fire chiefs—or their designated representatives—a vote in the hiring process.
Toby Shaw noted that the board has faced criticism in the past, citing instances where individuals with questionable backgrounds were hired as police officers. City Manager Sean Stegall clarified that these incidents occurred in the early 1990s and involved individuals with gang affiliations rather than confirmed gang members. He emphasized that background checks are conducted by city staff, not the board itself.
Additionally, the council approved modifying the educational requirements for certain police officer positions. Instead of requiring a bachelor’s degree, candidates will now need 60 college credit hours. This change applies to veterans with three years of active duty, current police officers with three years of full-time experience, Elgin community service officers with similar experience, and individuals who have completed at least four years and 400 hours of community service through Elgin’s Police Explorer program.
In summary, these changes reflect a shift toward greater collaboration between the board and public safety leadership, aiming to enhance transparency and efficiency in the hiring process. As always, the community remains engaged and supportive of these efforts to strengthen local governance.
*Thanks, Dan.*