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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Lieutenant Bill Rowley
DATE: February 11, 2025
SUBJECT:
Resolution approving estimated payments not to exceed $114,000.00 to Suburban Law Enforcement Academy for police recruit training in 2025.
PURPOSE:
Approval of payments is required to send police recruits through the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy (SLEA), a partnership with College of DuPage and the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board. This includes wearables (uniforms/PT sets), OC Spray training, and classroom/online training.
BACKGROUND:
Prior to 2020, the State of Illinois reimbursed police officers' basic academy training from State funds directly to the academy. In January 2020, the State informed municipalities across Illinois that they would be required to pay for basic police officer training, with the possibility of future reimbursement by the State.
In 2022, the State of Illinois began to reimburse a portion of these costs under the provisions of the Illinois Police Training Act, 50ILCS 705/9(2). In 2024 the Illinois Training and Standards Board (ILESTB) reimbursed the City of Aurora $66,497.78 for recruit police officers who attended basic police academy in 2024.
The current cost per recruit, including wearables, ammunition, and OC Spray training, are approximately $5,165.60 for those recruits attending the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy.
In 2025 the Aurora Police Department anticipates that we will hire as many as (22) police officers who will be required to attend a basic police academy. The remainder of the estimated hires will likely be those officers who are previously certified via other jurisdictions, "lateral hires" and will not need to attend basic police academy.
DISCUSSION:
The primary purpose of the police academy is to prepare new officers for a career in law enforcement. The academy provides basic training for recruits to become certified Illinois Law Enforcement Officers. This certification requires that recruits successfully complete a 560-hour (14-week) comprehensive training course.
The police department previously used the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center (MCLETC) for approximately three years at a cost of $7,400 per recruit, which included room and board. The Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center is no longer able to meet our rigorous training standards. After careful evaluation, we determined that the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy is best suited to meet our police recruit training needs.
Approval is requested for the entirety of 2025 wherein the total cost to send these 22 recruits to the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy is approximately $114,000.00. Our 2025 budget provides $232,000.00 in account 101-3536-421.42-48 to pay for basic academy training.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
Basic police academy is a state mandated requirement for the certification of all police officers in the State of Illinois.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Authorization to approve the payment of recruit training expenses for a total amount of $114,000.00 for the calendar year 2025.
cc: Public Health, Safety, and Transportation Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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A Resolution approving estimated payments not to exceed $114,000.00 to Suburban Law Enforcement Academy for police recruit training in 2025.
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the State of Illinois provides partial reimbursement to the City for costs associated with basic recruit police academy; and
WHEREAS, the Aurora Police Department anticipates the hiring of approximately (22) police officers who will require basic recruit police academy training and certification; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora must have new recruits trained at the police academy before they are assigned to patrol the streets of Aurora, IL; and
WHEREAS, the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy has been selected to provide police recruit training; and
WHEREAS, funding for basic academy training is budgeted for 2025 in 101-3536-421.42-48.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: approval of estimated payments not to exceed $114,000.00 to Suburban Law Enforcement Academy for police recruit training in 2025 and authorizing the Chief Financial Officer to execute the necessary orders to complete.