(A) Creation of the office.
(1) There is created the position of police liaison and counselor.
(2) Eligible persons for appointment shall be submitted by the Chief of Police to the Mayor.
(3) The police liaison and counselor shall be appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the City Council.
(4) The term of appointment shall begin at the start of the fiscal year, May 1, and expire on April 30, the final date of the fiscal year.
(5) In the event that there is a failure to appoint the police liaison and counselor, the person so qualified shall continue in the position until a successor has been chosen and approved, until the position has been eliminated or until the person holding the position has been removed, whichever comes first.
(B) Objectives.
(1) The objectives of the program include the creation of a liaison between students, schools, the Police Department and other law enforcement agencies.
(2) The program is intended to be beneficial to the youth of the community and their parents who have encounters with the law.
(3) The program is created to increase the citizens of Oak Forest awareness of the law.
(4) The police liaison and counselor will serve as a consultant to the school staff and students.
(5) The police liaison and counselor will assist in the development of programs and give recommendations for those young people who have law-related problems.
(6) In the event of law violations in and about the school or community, the police liaison and counselor shall refer those violations to the appropriate Police Department or agency.
(C) Qualifications. The Police Chief shall screen any and all persons and review their qualifications for the position. These qualifications shall include the following:
(1) Masters degree in education or counseling;
(2) Police officer with at least five years’ experience as a youth officer;
(3) Minimum of three years as a youth/family counselor with a recognized agency or equivalent experience; and
(4) An interest and understanding of people, as well as a personality which will command respect. The Police Chief shall have the ability to waive one or more of the criteria for any applicant.
(D) Duties. The police liaison and counselor shall serve at the direction of the Chief of Police or his or her designee. The police liaison and counselor shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
(1) Serve as liaison between the school and community agencies;
(2) Coordinate any necessary police coverage for extra curricular activities requiring the police at any school within the jurisdiction of Oak Forest;
(3) Keep records and report to the Chief of Police as requested;
(4) Conduct scheduled office hours for counseling youth and meeting with parents at the Police Department or other designated location;
(5) Refer any criminal activities which may occur in or about the school as well as the community to the Police Department;
(6) Assist in the development of fire and disaster procedures at local schools. The police will direct and advise police and fire officials who are called in to handle emergencies;
(7) Use reasonable means to prevent or control any violence in the school or the community;
(8) Serve as liaison officer between the school and the legal authorities and promote effective communication between the school and the local Police Department and/or other law enforcement agencies;
(9) Work with appropriate school personnel in the general area of crime prevention on school property; and
(10) Participate in counseling youth, processing cases of truancy, local ordinance or state statute violations, and preventing loitering and trespassing on school property as well as the community.
(E) Compensation. The rate of compensation shall be determined from time to time by Council and shall be subject to the city budget and appropriations ordinance in the respective year.
(F) Removal. The police liaison and counselor may be removed from the position during his or her term by the Mayor with the approval of the City Council. The grounds for removal may include job performance, alternate administrative procedures or efficiencies or otherwise. The police liaison and counselor shall have the right to a hearing before the City Council regarding the basis for removal.
(G) Position defined. Council declares the position herein created is not an office as defined in state statute. Nothing herein stated is intended to prohibit any individual appointed from continuing to serve as a police officer as described in ILCS Ch. 65, Act 5, § 10-2.1 or the Oak Forest Board of Fire and Police Commissioners rules and regulations for an auxiliary police officer as described in ILCS Ch. 65, Act 5, § 3.1-30-20.
(2000 Code, § 2.34.100) (Ord. 2418, (part), passed --1999; Ord. 2417, (part), passed --1999)