With six vacancies, Galesburg police department will offer cash bonuses to new hires

GALESBURG — People hired by the Galesburg Police Department to become police officers will now receive cash bonuses as the result of a new resolution passed by members of Galesburg’s city council Monday night.

The resolution, which was passed unanimously by the council, contains two programs aimed at shoring up officer applications and retention in a police department that currently contains six vacancies and expects to see more.

The first program provides $2,000 to individuals hired by the Galesburg Police Department that successfully complete training at the Police Training Institute. Hired individuals will then receive $2,000 each year they remain employed by the Galesburg Police Department over the next four years — for a maximum incentive of $10,000.

The second program provides a maximum of $1,000 to hired law enforcement officers who must relocate to the Galesburg area.

All law enforcement officers who are hired by the Galesburg Police Department after Aug. 1, 2022, are eligible for the incentives but the incentive program will expire two years from now unless reinstated by the council.

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The city council meeting’s agenda states that police agencies across the nation are seeing “drastic reductions in the number of applicants for positions in law enforcement” as well as “an increase in resignations and retirements.”

The agenda states that the Galesburg Police Department “is seeing a similar trend” as one of its officers is departing in two weeks and two recently hired police officers will not finish their training for another 30 weeks — which will leave the city’s police department “with a total of nine fewer officers than is authorized.”

As previously reported, Galesburg Police Department’s total capacity is meant to be 51 officers. The city’s police department has been struggling to attract new recruits since 2020.

More: More: 'We're heading in the wrong direction': Galesburg struggles to hire police officers

Russel Idle, chief of Galesburg’s police department, said that fewer people are applying to become police officers because of the impact of COVID-19 and what he described as an “attack on law enforcement” that has negatively impacted the public perception of police.

Idle said Monday that he hopes the resolution will help the Galesburg Police Department attract officers from the same small pool of applicants that other police departments in the region that are also deploying incentive programs are trying to compete for.

Murals now allowed in all non-residential districts

The council unanimously approved an amendment to its policy regarding murals that will now expand where murals can be painted.

Under the previous ordinance, murals were only permitted to be painted in the “Central Business District” or the “Comprehensive Planned Development District.” Now, murals may be painted on exterior building walls or permanent wall structures in all non-residential zoning districts and for legal non-residential uses in residential zoning districts.

The amendment will also now require murals to be reviewed by the city’s Development Review Committee, that murals be painted on durable, porous masonry and that murals be maintained by the property owner. People may receive a no-fee permit for a mural.

Housing Repair Assistance grant more accessible

On June 6, the council approved the Housing Repair Assistance Program for Owner-Occupied Single-Family Residences which provides up to $4,500 to low-to moderate-income owner-occupied Galesburg homes to help bring those homes into compliance with housing standards and codes.

This program previously required that individuals possess “property and casualty insurance,” i.e. home insurance, in order to apply for the grant. On Monday, the council unanimously approved removing the requirement that individuals have to possess home insurance in order to obtain program funds.

Properties approved to be demolished

The council unanimously approved beginning the demolition process on structures located at 187 Garfield Ave., 596 Mulberry St., 175-193 N. Cherry St., 154 N. Henderson St. and 715 Monmouth Blvd.

More:Galesburg to demolish 6 abandoned buildings, will address the Broadview

This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: Galesburg IL police offer hiring incentives for officer shortage