Committee of the Whole - Regular Meeting

Discussion of Proposed Changes to Board of Fire and Police Commissioners Rules Pertaining to Police Office Recruitment

Your consideration is being requested to amend City Code to permit the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners (BOFPC) to adopt rules jointly approved by the City Council. Currently, the BOFPC is obligated to adhere to Illinois State Statute (65 ILCS 5/10-2.1) in regard to entry level police officer hiring processes. The City's Home Rule authority permits the Council to authorize amendments to the City Code, enabling the BOFPC to adapt their rules and regulations and modify the entry level police officer hiring process. Currently, entry level testing processes are completed every two years. In this configuration, eligible candidates are limited to this testing cycle. If they are interested in applying, they have to wait until the testing process opens. After testing components (orientation, written test, interview) are complete, which takes several weeks, an eligibility register is established with ranked candidates, and the BOFPC is required to follow this ranked list (with exceptions for certified officers, who may be given preference) to fill vacancies. Recently, many local police departments have changed their hiring processes to allow for continuous acceptance of applications based on agency needs. A testing service is utilized to facilitate the application, proctor a written examination, and administer a recorded interview. The candidate participates in a mandatory ride along with Police Department staff, and then is interviewed by the BOFPC. Candidates who successfully complete all phases of these steps are placed into an eligibility pool, and that candidate can remain in that eligibility pool for up to two years. Under this method, the list itself does not expire, but rather, the candidate does. The BOFPC Rules and Regulations, if amended, will allow for the hire of candidates placing in the top 5%, or in the top five highest rank in the eligibility pool, based on department need. The hiring process in its current form served its purpose for decades, but is antiquated. Several departments in the area (Lake Forest, Vernon Hills, Hoffman Estates, and Lincolnshire) have changed their hiring processes to attract the highest quality candidates in the most efficient amount of time to remain competitive with other law enforcement agencies. The proposed amendment to the Rolling Meadows City Code would permit the BOFPC to adapt their Rules and Regulations to enable our agency to compete for the highest quality police officer candidates. At the March 24, 2026 Committee of the Whole meeting, staff will provide a brief presentation on this matter and seek Council input before first reading at the Council meeting the same evening.