Homer Glen will ask residents if the village should explore creating a part-time police department via a nonbinding referendum on the April 4 ballot.
The Homer Glen Village Board approved two referendums Wednesday involving public safety initiatives. The second will also ask whether the village should install license plate reader cameras on public streets to help law enforcement solve crimes.
Since Homer Glen incorporated in 2001, the village has contracted with the Will County sheriff’s office to provide its policing services, at an annual cost of $4.5 million, said Trustee Jennifer Consolino, the chair of the village’s Public Safety Committee.
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Homer Glen is the only municipality in Will County without its own police department, and many communities offer part-time police in addition to full-time officers, Consolino said More than half the Will County communities that maintain police departments have a smaller population than Homer Glen, which is just over 24,500 residents, she said.
If residents approve the referendum, the board would study the feasibility of creating and maintaining a police department.
“We’re not getting rid of Will County sheriff’s department,” Consolino said. “We are looking at additional support in the form of part-time officers. Will County will still be supplementing.”
She said while Homer Glen is a safe place, there has been an increase in retail theft, home burglaries and vandalism in parks.
“We are putting our finger on the pulse,” Trustee Ruben Pazmino said. “We are asking the public, ‘Hey is this something that you are remotely interested in?’ Yes, great. Let’s go through with a feasibly study.”
The village has had no complaints about the service provided by Will County, village manager Carmen Maurella said.
“Will County works with us very closely,” Maurella said. “We have a great relationship.”
He said there are a lot of unknowns including how much it would cost to hire officers or buy police cars, whether the village would need a full-time police chief and how the county and the village would share services.
The feasibility study, if residents approve, would address some of these questions, Maurella said.
Mayor George Yukich said he was concerned a part-time department would be too costly.
Trustee Beth Rodgers said she would like to see some workshops closer to the election that can help residents make an informed decision.
License plate readers
The board has been studying purchasing license plate readers for about a year.
Last year, the board approved buying 10 license plate reader cameras, but the company ran into delays installing the cameras, causing village officials to reconsider the plan.
Maurella said about half the comments from residents have been in support of license plate cameras and about half are opposed.
The license plate readers capture images of license plates and vehicles, allowing officers to compare plates against stolen cars or wanted criminals. Information could be shared among law enforcement departments and provide real-time crime alerts, according to officials with Flock Safety, a company that makes the cameras.
The cameras are also used to help with reports of missing or abducted children or missing senior citizens. Data collected is destroyed within 30 days unless it is being used in an ongoing investigation.
Village elections
Residents in April will vote for mayor, village clerk and three trustees. Yukich is bound by term limits and Rodgers and Trustee Nicole La Ha are not seeking reelection.
Trustee Rose Reynders are Clerk Christina Neitzke-Troike are running for mayor.
Neitzke-Troike is leading the Integrity for Homer Glen party with candidates Candice Bielski for village clerk, and Curtis Mason, Susanna Steilen and Craig McNaughton running for village trustee. An objection is still pending against McNaughton.
Pazmino, the only trustee seeking reelection, is running with the Homer Forward party, which includes Yvonne Chentnik for clerk, and Christina Clausen and James Roti for trustee. The slate endorses Reynders.
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The Village Board also voted Wednesday to hire Robinson Engineering to conduct a feasibility study on building a wastewater treatment facility. The study will cost $18,250, according to village documents.
About 7,000 acres of mostly vacant property bound by 151st and 159th streets and Gougar and Cedar roads is in the city of Lockport’s planning area, officials said. Lockport has agreed to provide wastewater treatment at its Bonnie Brae Forest Manor Sanitary District through 2030, but Lockport officials are concerned the Bonnie Brae plant is beyond its useful life span.
Homer Glen officials have said a wastewater treatment plant will allow the village to cut its dependence from Lockport.
“Homer Glen needs to look at its own destiny,” Maurella said.
Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.