The Diversity Of Elmhurst's Police Force

ELMHURST, IL — The racial makeup of the Elmhurst police force reflects the community at large, an analysis of the numbers shows.

At a city forum on the police department this week, Police Chief Michael Ruth informed the public on his department's demographics.

Of the city's 66 full-time sworn officers, 60 are white (90.9 percent), five are Hispanic (7.6 percent) and one is African American (1.5 percent).

Ruth didn't compare the numbers to the city's population, but the percentages of Hispanics and African Americans in town are 8.3 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively.

The city has nine part-time officers, consisting of four whites, three Hispanics and two African Americans.

As with virtually all police forces, Elmhurst's is overwhelmingly male — 61 males and 5 females. Two of the part-time officers are women.

The police department's recruitment efforts are targeted in a number of places, including Chicago's community college system, other community colleges, Elmhurst College, and state schools such as the University of Illinois, Illinois State and Western Illinois, the chief said.

Asked during the forum whether the department was adequately staffed, Ruth said it was.

"We are very fortunate in Elmhurst to work in a community that affords us all the resources we need," Ruth said. "Our staffing level is adequate. We're two officers down right now, but that's as a result of recent retirements."

The police department forum was Tuesday. Mayor Steve Morley promised the event in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests over George Floyd's death during the summer.