Kankakee public safety panel approves bills, hears police staffing and overtime reports

The Kankakee City Public Safety Committee approved the meeting minutes and a bills packet and heard a police staffing and operations update at its public safety meeting. Alderman Navarro moved and Alderman Cabb seconded approval of bills totaling $112,633.28; a roll call vote recorded ayes and the motion passed.

Why it matters: The police department said staffing, overtime and reporting changes will affect operational planning and budget monitoring in the coming months. Committee members also asked staff about infrastructure impacts on residents following multiple water-main breaks.

Chief Kidwell reported the department is budgeting for 67 officers and said the roster currently lists 67 officers, with one candidate in a student chapter and two recent academy graduates now in field training. "We currently are budgeting for 67. We currently have 67 officers," the chief said while describing recruitment and anticipated retirements.

The department reported overtime for the pay period Dec. 28 through Jan. 24 at $17,512.54, which the chief said was substantially lower than the same period last year. January operational statistics included 6,278 calls for service, 262 case reports, 109 adult arrests, 325 traffic stops and 524 traffic citations; the department reported five firearms recovered and 32 shots-fired-type calls.

The chief described ward-level breakdowns of calls and a domestic-incident classification: 15 domestic-related arrests for the month and granular categories that include domestic batteries, child‑neglect and protection-order violations. He also warned that recent national reporting-system changes have limited some historical detail while the department updates reporting software.

The committee approved the bills packet after a brief review of items that included a $65,452 invoice identified in the packet as 'CanCon' (described by staff as two‑thirds charged to the police budget and one‑third to the fire department), vehicle capital expenditures, an $8,000 equipment charge for new squad cars and a $4,020 promotion-test expense.

Members raised operational questions and thanked staff for the annual report. In closing, aldermen asked about recent water-main breaks and were told the city issues immediate notices to affected addresses and that some repairs can result in two‑ to eight‑hour low‑pressure events while crews effect fixes.

The committee did not enter executive session and closed after routine business; no further formal actions on policing policy were taken at the meeting.