All options on table for Darien, police
DARIEN — The village of Darien is again considering its options for providing police protection.
The Darien Village Board has asked Village Administrator Diana Dykstra to explore all the available policing options.
After a closed session meeting Monday to discuss police department personnel matters, the board returned to open session and moved to "authorize the village administrator to investigate options for the village board to offer a 27/7 police department."
The motion was approved with a unanimous vote.
Dykstra agreed the options might include:
-- Running the police department just as it is now.
-- Running the police department with more officers.
-- Sharing resources with a nearby, police department such as Delavan or Sharon.
-- Contracting with the Walworth County Sheriff's Office.
In 2010, the village board asked the sheriff's office for information on providing police services for the village. In the end, the board decided it wanted to keep its own department.
The village is in the middle of its budget planning for 2013, and the budget includes plans for the Darien Police Department's continued operations.
"Whatever option we would pick would have to offer a cost savings on what we have now," Dykstra said.
The board's decision to study its options came after several closed-session meetings regarding police department operations and its chief, Hunter Gilmore.
On Oct. 4, a meeting notice announced that the board would meet in closed session to "consider potential charges against the chief." The item was later removed from the agenda.
On Monday, Dykstra said the board at the time didn't intend to pursue "charges" against the chief. The wording of the agenda came from Village Attorney Brad Lochowicz, she said.
However, between Oct. 5 and 15, Gilmore took a week of paid leave so the village board could clarify the "lines of authority" between the chief and the village administrator.
At the same time, the board issued a press release saying it "has every confidence" in the chief's continued leadership.
Nov 20, 2012 at 3:19 p.m.
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I am sad to see this happen, but am so glad I no longer live in Darien. The people in that town are so closed minded.. I tried to run for the village board, but because of the good ol boy network, was not elected. Good grief Darien... Get it together.. Taxes are way too high for such a small town!
Nov 20, 2012 at 3:19 p.m.
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I am sad to see this happen, but am so glad I no longer live in Darien. The people in that town are so closed minded.. I tried to run for the village board, but because of the good ol boy network, was not elected. Good grief Darien... Get it together.. Taxes are way too high for such a small town!
Nov 4, 2012 at 1:59 p.m.
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The Village of Darien Police Department should be under no attack at all. The police department continues to work professionally and actively within the community. The police department is the least of the issue here. The Chief of Police has done nothing but good things for this community, and stood up for the community. Why do we keep taking good people? I'm not sure I understand. The Village of Darien is a good place, and the police department is not the problem. Why would we want to get rid of our police coverage and have another department come in and cover for us, when our department is perfectly capable of doing their job, and have proven that. It's becoming a young department, and they are very proactive, and their Chief allows for this. Bottom line is, they get out and do things. Why, why, why, get rid of our police department. And why doesn't the community get a chance to cast their vote again? You know, the taxpayers....?
Oct 25, 2012 at 10:18 a.m.
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Darien, face it, you’ve failed once again and should consider consolidating with another community. The problem for us is why another community would want our problems I’m not sure! Contracting with the Sheriff’s department will resolve nothing. The deputies assigned to Darien won’t want to be here. Therefore they will be unproductive.
Badgerboy is correct, “failed leadership for decades” and personal agendas have put us in this precarious situation once again, and we got what we deserve.
When the people of Darien finally decide that they are tired of the decrepit leadership of Wenzel and the virulent and rancorous attitudes of Putman and Kaufenberg, then maybe the village will move forward.
It is time for the decrepit leaders to start using the Taj Mahal (Senior Center) that set us taxpayers back and leave the boardroom and village business to those who know how to run municipal government. Unfortunately for us, we apparently have no one capable.
Maybe the village could save money by not having a chief. In the end, no matter who the chief is the board still wants final say and control of the police department. What is it that you people fear?
Our public works department has as many employees as the police department and they don't work 24/7. Why isn't their department under attack, or consideration being made to consolidate with Sharon or Delavan? Some part-time employees receive the same benefits as
does the full-time employees with a paid lunch. When have you ever heard of paid lunches? The union at it's best!
Good luck. I’m confident that whatever decision you make will be wrong. No time to change your ways now!
Oct 25, 2012 at 9:27 a.m.
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Dissolve the village and revert to the township. The leadership you've had for the last decade or two are nothing but self serving, self interested hicks who couldn't see their way out of a dark room.
Oct 25, 2012 at 6:52 a.m.
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As a taxpayer of Darien, I have had it with the way this Village WASTES money! Time for a change on this board if they cannot get it together. You have a good Chief, stop wasting our money! To the Board Members who are wasting all this money, TIME FOR YOU GET OUT OF OFFICE!
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