Enough Police Officers In Burr Ridge?

BURR RIDGE, IL — The Burr Ridge Village Board authorized the police chief to fill two police vacancies Monday, but one member urged the board to have a broader discussion about how many officers the town needs.

Filling a vacancy, Trustee Zach Mottl said, should not be taken lightly because it is a long-term budgetary commitment. He said the village routinely fills vacancies but fails to study whether more officers necessarily translate into safer streets.

"We see the data about break-ins. There's a whole rash going on in the village. Cars are broken into in the village. Property is being damaged," Mottl said. "A vacancy is an opportunity. I don't see that we're having a broader discussion."

Mayor Gary Grasso said the village needs a "full complement" of officers and that the board should not risk voting against "what we are told we need."

The police department is authorized to fill 27 officer positions. At that level, the village has one officer for every 400 residents. But now, the number is down to 23, translating to one officer for every 470 residents.

According to 2017 FBI statistics, the village has more officer coverage for its population than Hinsdale and La Grange, which have one officer for every 740 and 601 residents, respectively. Willowbrook, by contrast, had one officer for every 316 residents in 2017.

Police Chief John Madden told the board, "We're at a number where I advised the board we not go below."

Grasso offered an explanation for the crime level in Burr Ridge, which has a higher median household income than most suburbs.

"Burr Ridge has stuff," the mayor said. "People come here to steal or destroy it."

Grasso advised residents and subdivisions to install more video cameras to help police catch criminals. "If you do have cameras, make sure they're working," he said.

The two latest vacancies are because of the retirement of Sgt. Luke Vulpo and the departure of Officer Hemzi Shaibi, who was recently hired. He was offered a job with a south suburban police department that paid $10,000 more, a fact Burr Ridge verified, Madden said.

Even though the other department — which Madden did not identify — offered more, the chief said the village's pay for officers is competitive.

"(Shaibi) assured salary was the reason," Madden said. "He was very appreciative when he got hired."

Here are 2017 FBI numbers for selected communities: