Three New Positions in Barrington?
Town Manager Peter DeAngelis Jr. wants to get conversation started on hiring two new police officers -- one in the schools -- and a director of technology.
The town manager wants to get the conversation started on adding several new positions in Barrington.
Peter DeAngelis Jr. mentions the positions of Police Resource Officer, Police Accreditation Officer and Director of Technology in the message that accompanies his proposed municipal budget for next year.
He describes them as “new positions considered but not included.” That doesn’t mean DeAngelis has rejected the positions. Just the opposite, in fact.
“It’s a starting point,” he said. “I introduced them as alternatives that are worthy of additional discussion” as the town tries to expand and improve services.
DeAngelis said the three posts are being considered for the first time because “this is the way business is done today.”
Obviously, he said, the tragedy in Newtown, Conn., has many people talking about improving school safety. In Barrington, Police Chief John LaCross has been recommending a resource officer at the high school for several years, DeAngelis said.
“He sees it as a way to improve the image of police officers in Barrington,” he said, “while improving school safety at the same time.”
The cost for the police resource officer is estimated at $103,347 for salary and benefits. DeAngeis sees the cost pro-rated between the school and municipal budgets.
A police accreditation officer would be designated from among the current patrol staff and then a new patrol position would be added. The former would assist with detective caseloads and oversee development and implementation of polices and procedures. The cost for an entry level police officer would be approximately $85,000 in salary and benefits.
A director of technology would assume responsibilities that are handled now by Finance Director and Tax Collector Dean Huff, said DeAngelis. He does not see this as satisfactory down the road.
Other options for IT services would be to “buy hours from the school department, which employs an IT staff,” said DeAngelis, “or contract for services from an outside vendor.”
But there are functions within town government that simply can’t be done without a full-time technology director, the town manager said. He did not list the cost of such a position in the proposed budget.
What do you think about adding new positions in Barrington? Use the comment box below.
GG
8:32 am on Monday, March 18, 2013
Let's try the 'no-cost' solution first: http://todaynews.today.com/_news/2013/03/06/17209597-town-puts-police-officers-in-schools-at-no-cost-to-taxpayers?lite
Anon
1:53 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013
Why on earth does this town need more cops? There are already too many - all they do all day is hand out speeding tickets. Last time I got a ticket I went court to have it dismissed. There were more than five times as many speeding tickets from barrington than from any of the other towns, and they were all first offenders who had the tickets dismissed. I drove down county road recently and counted three cop cars between the white church and the center. I drove by a cop on detail on county road to watch him chatting with his cop buddy instead of directing the traffic that was stopped behind the tree trimmer truck. On my way back an hour later the same two were still chatting. This is what the town cops do to keep the town safe? And now the town manager and the head cop are saying we need more of this?
I think "improving the image of police officers in Barrington" is a good idea, Lacross. But adding more cops isn't going to do it. Maybe doing a better job would help, though.
I like the "no-cost" proposal a lot better than hiring another unnecessary cop. My taxes are high enough paying for the things the town actually needs.
Chris12
5:58 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013
After nabbing the two drunken state senators last summer and not being intimidated with the "do you know who I am" thing Barrington Police don't need to improve their image. Keep up the good work.
Anon
6:30 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013
My point exactly, Chris12. They already have more than enough resources. They have so many resources they can lounge around on detail and still have more than enough cops to catch a drunk driver. How many cars did they send to the state senator drunk driver? 6? More? For a drunk driver who yelled a little bit? Two more cops are completely unneeded. And putting a cop in the schools is a horrible idea. Now whenever there's a fist fight LaCross is going to book them and press charges instead of the school taking care of it and giving them detention or something. Stupid. I don't want a town where the cops take over for school discipline. Every kid makes mistakes, sending them into court for assault and other petty crimes will ruin them. The cops in town need something to do with the extra time they already have. Two more cops means two more bored peace officers who have to justify their salaries by handing out as many speeding tickets as they can to local residents. Just what the town needs.
resident
9:13 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013
Anon, I'm very glad you got a speeding ticket and also very glad Barrington give out more speeding tickets than others. This is a small town with a lot of children walking and riding bikes around and people don't belong speeding. I don't think you really know what you are talking about. Maybe you should focus on learning better driving skills and leave the cops alone.
Anon
2:32 am on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
OK resident - you've never lived in a small town if you think this is a small town. The last town I lived in had one part time cop, and we did just fine. And he was a nice guy who didn't harass the residents for rediculously petty stuff. I'll leave the cops alone when they start earning their pay and doing a decent job. When I was a kid Barrington's finest used to stop me for simply pulling out of my drive way just because they thought I was someone else. (which it turns out is illegal - wish I knew that at the time). I know this because after they stopped me they would ask me if I knew the whereabouts of this other person, pretend that they were looking for something in my car, then let me go. One of them always had booze on his breath, but I made sure to always call that one "Sir" or "Officer." I don't see that they've changed much in the last 10 years.
We certainly don't need more of them to chat it up on our dime and collect their big pensions instead of directing traffic like they're supposed to do. Makes me sick. Maybe they could try catching some of the burglars who are breaking into houses at night instead of just setting up speed traps - but all they do instead is show up after the fact and take a report, then go out and monitor the traffic. We definitely don't need to pay three more salaries for that, they've clearly got it covered.
Anon
2:38 am on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
And if they want to hire a dective, like the story says, lacross can take him (or her) out of the current rank and file instead of hiring another extra body - he has enough extra bodies already.
Townie
8:00 am on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Spend, spend, spend - it's the Barrington way.