D122 Could Help Police Foot Bill for Community Resource Officer

After more than four years of supplying District 122 schools with a community resource officer, the New Lenox Police Department could get some help paying for the position.

At a strategic planning session Monday, District 122 Supt. Mike Sass asked the school board to consider putting about $25,000 toward paying for the officer, who helps investigate incidents and put together educational programs for students, among other tasks.

Over the last four years, the New Lenox Police Department has supplied to officer to the school district at no cost, but Chief Bob Sterba asked Sass this year once again if they could get any relief.

"Dollars are tight with all taxing bodies," Sterba said. "But it's not a question of either/or. I just thought it was the right thing to do."

Officer Michael Jurka spends about 35 hours per week in New Lenox schools, and for that time he has made about $171,000 over four years. The police department pays for additional salary and benefits outside of the work Jurka does with the schools.

Board member Pat Martino had concerns that the district would commit money toward someone who wasn't a full-time employee, and then possibly lose that resource if the district decided it could no longer aid the police in paying for the position.

Sterba, who asked the district for some help with this about three years ago, said it's fairly uncommon for school districts to not pay anything, but that he's patient and happy to keep supplying this service.

Sass said he'll continue discussions with Sterba and, under the direction of the board, work toward an intergovernmental agreement.

"We’ve got access to a full-time officer," Sass said. "He’s very efficient for us and effective for us to have those services. We’re viewing it as, 'How did we get away for it this long not paying for it?'"