NEWS - LEXINGTON Police
County Board approves interim police pact with Lexington
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July 16, 2014 7:00 am • Mary Ann Ford [email protected]
BLOOMINGTON — The McLean County Board approved a contract Tuesday to provide interim police service to Lexington while the community searches for a police chief.
Contacted after the meeting, Lexington Mayor John Mohr said the community hopes to have a police chief hired by the end of the month.
More than 20 people responded to an advertisement for the position, Mohr said. The police committee, headed by Christopher Phelps, met Saturday to start the review.
"We have a number of very qualified individuals from around the country," Mohr said. "The work by the police committee has been very fruitful."
He said the committee plans to narrow the applicants to six for interviews. They hope to conduct the interviews next week and get someone hired "as soon as possible."
Until a chief is on-board, Lexington will pay McLean County $45.50 per hour for each hour of patrol it receives through buy-back patrols from the McLean County Sheriff's Department. The pact includes a maximum of 40 hours a week. McLean County Sheriff Mike Emery said the amount covers most, but not all, costs involved.
The contract is for a maximum of a year but may be extended. The county or Lexington could terminate the pact with a 30-day notice.
The sheriff's department has provided temporary police coverage for Lexington since last month. Former Chief David Schneider resigned June 7, and the department's three part-time officers were laid off until a chief was hired.
Sheriff's police started a review of more than 100 incidents in Lexington that were not entered into the county's integrated reporting system since 2008.
Contacted after the meeting, Lexington Mayor John Mohr said the community hopes to have a police chief hired by the end of the month.
More than 20 people responded to an advertisement for the position, Mohr said. The police committee, headed by Christopher Phelps, met Saturday to start the review.
"We have a number of very qualified individuals from around the country," Mohr said. "The work by the police committee has been very fruitful."
He said the committee plans to narrow the applicants to six for interviews. They hope to conduct the interviews next week and get someone hired "as soon as possible."
Until a chief is on-board, Lexington will pay McLean County $45.50 per hour for each hour of patrol it receives through buy-back patrols from the McLean County Sheriff's Department. The pact includes a maximum of 40 hours a week. McLean County Sheriff Mike Emery said the amount covers most, but not all, costs involved.
The contract is for a maximum of a year but may be extended. The county or Lexington could terminate the pact with a 30-day notice.
The sheriff's department has provided temporary police coverage for Lexington since last month. Former Chief David Schneider resigned June 7, and the department's three part-time officers were laid off until a chief was hired.
Sheriff's police started a review of more than 100 incidents in Lexington that were not entered into the county's integrated reporting system since 2008.