Joliet chief wants neighborhood police back

Updated: December 1, 2012 6:25AM

JOLIET — Police Chief Mike Trafton said he definitely wants to use new police officers to bring back the neighborhood policing team.

But the proposed 2013 budget does not give police enough money for both the neighborhood team and a deputy chief position that Trafton wants to fill.

The budget presented Monday at a Joliet City Council meeting includes about $500,000 for 10 new officers, which would be enough to restart the neighborhood police unit that was suspended in August amid protests from community groups.

“I want them as soon as possible,” Trafton said after the meeting. “I think the community was clear that they want these guys back.”

The neighborhood unit assigns officers to work closely with community groups. It was suspended because of a manpower shortage, and officers were reassigned to patrols. When community groups packed a city council meeting to protest the loss of neighborhood policing, city officials said the problem would be addressed in the 2013 budget.

When the proposed budget was released Friday, City Manager Thomas Thanas said that even with the funding of 10 new officers, the return of neighborhood policing still depended on further discussions with Trafton.

Trafton told the council Monday that his budget request was for nine officers and a deputy chief. The proposed budget, however, provides for 10 officers.

That’s not enough money to fund a deputy chief as well, Thanas told the council, adding that pay for a deputy chief would be between $150,000 and $175,000.

One deputy chief will cost the city as much as three officers, Thanas told the council, so filling that position “would probably mean not having three (more officers).”

Some council members asked Thanas to consider making more room on the payroll by offering early retirement incentives.

Whatever happens, Trafton said he’s committed to restarting the neighborhood police unit.

“That’s my No. 1 goal, to get those nine guys on the street as soon as possible,” he said.

Training could take a month or two, but if the council approves the money for the officers, the neighborhood unit should be back in the first quarter of 2013, the chief said.

JOLIET — Police Chief Mike Trafton said he definitely wants to use new police officers to bring back the neighborhood policing team.

But the proposed 2013 budget does not give police enough money for both the neighborhood team and a deputy chief position that Trafton wants to fill.

The budget presented Monday at a Joliet City Council meeting includes about $500,000 for 10 new officers, which would be enough to restart the neighborhood police unit that was suspended in August amid protests from community groups.

“I want them as soon as possible,” Trafton said after the meeting. “I think the community was clear that they want these guys back.”

The neighborhood unit assigns officers to work closely with community groups. It was suspended because of a manpower shortage, and officers were reassigned to patrols. When community groups packed a city council meeting to protest the loss of neighborhood policing, city officials said the problem would be addressed in the 2013 budget.

When the proposed budget was released Friday, City Manager Thomas Thanas said that even with the funding of 10 new officers, the return of neighborhood policing still depended on further discussions with Trafton.

Trafton told the council Monday that his budget request was for nine officers and a deputy chief. The proposed budget, however, provides for 10 officers.

That’s not enough money to fund a deputy chief as well, Thanas told the council, adding that pay for a deputy chief would be between $150,000 and $175,000.

One deputy chief will cost the city as much as three officers, Thanas told the council, so filling that position “would probably mean not having three (more officers).”

Some council members asked Thanas to consider making more room on the payroll by offering early retirement incentives.

Whatever happens, Trafton said he’s committed to restarting the neighborhood police unit.

“That’s my No. 1 goal, to get those nine guys on the street as soon as possible,” he said.

Training could take a month or two, but if the council approves the money for the officers, the neighborhood unit should be back in the first quarter of 2013, the chief said.

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