Year Without Contract: Western Springs Cop

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – Patrol officers in Western Springs have gone nearly a year without a contract.

The officers union's last contract extension ended March 31, 2022. The officers haven't had a new full-fledged contract in nearly three years.

Meanwhile, the sergeants union has operated without a contract for nearly two years.

"While we don't comment on the status of contract negotiations, typically once a contract has been ratified by the union it will come before the Board," village spokesman Selmin Cicek said in an email to Patch on Monday.

She urged Patch to look at the Village Board's upcoming meeting agendas.

"(T)he specific timing is not yet known," she said.

The extensions have included pay raises. Often, public employees get retroactive pay raises when new contracts are approved late.

The police department, which has made few arrests in recent months, has seen its share of challenges.

The department is down five officers, with an authorized force of 21 positions.

Last spring, Deputy Chief Daniel Albrecht resigned days after being suspended. Public records indicated he was under some type of investigation, but the village never released details.

In November, Police Chief Brian Budds left the village to take the same role in Buffalo Grove. He had been with the local department for 26 years.

After Budds left, Terry Mee, who has served in a number of suburban departments, was hired as interim chief. He left after three weeks, though it was unclear why.

Deputy Police Chief Ashlee Niezgoda was put in charge after Mee's exit, though she was not given the interim chief title.

Last month, the village hired a new chief, Sean Gilhooley, who is set to take the helm Monday.