Village police and fire officials are stepping up recruitment of women and minorities.
A presentation on the Police and Fire Departments’ new recruiting effort was given Monday to members of the Public Health and Safety Committee.
The strategy includes participating in area job fairs. In the past, the departments relied on newspaper ads and fliers that were sent to area colleges and universities.
“We are finding that in spite of our efforts in advertising positions . . . we don’t get the number of minority applicants that we would like,” Police Chief Clint Herdegen said. He said women and minorities make up less than 20 percent of the village’s police officers.
“We would like to develop a department that mirrors the community we serve,” Herdegen said.
The Fire Department is still looking to hire its first female firefighter.
Less than 5 percent of the department is made up of minorities, officials said.
In other action, officials said they will continue to watch the way the Park District deals with a pile of brush that has angered Schaumburg Golf Course neighbors.
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Last week, residents were notified that the Schaumburg Park District has withdrawn its request to use Ash Road in Hoffman Estates to get to the brush.
Residents objected to the district trying to use the road to haul away the brush pile, which at times has stood more than 10 feet tall.
After learning about the objections, the district sent a letter to Hoffman Estates officials stating that it would instead continue “to remove brush from the golf course as weather and time permit.”
Last fall, residents complained about the pile to village officials, who contacted the Park District to work on a solution.
“I don’t think this is a situation that residents can live with,” Village Manager James Norris said.