Turkey Creek toys with the idea of making police chief an appointed position

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The Village of Turkey Creek could possibly be changing the way its Chief of Police is selected after the council decided to call for an election at one of its recent meetings to change the position from elected to appointed.
The village has faced financial hurtles in regards to its police department within the last few months. With a near depleted police fund, the village back in August had to move $35,000 of police department money from savings to cover department expenses.
However, as the police department continues to bring in little revenue, “the police fund,” according to Village Clerk Melissa Ferguson, “is about to be depleted.”
If the department’s funds are drained, money from the utility fund will have to be used to pay the police chief’s salary and the cost to run his department.
In a situation such as this one, where revenues are not being generated, if the chief were appointed, the mayor and council could choose to replace the police chief.
The election to decide whether the position will change to an appointed one will be held on March 24, 2018.
If the residents of Turkey Creek choose to pass the ordinance on the ballot, a chief will be recommended by the mayor and then approved by the council for hire.
The main requirement to be appointed as police chief would be that the person must be post-certified.
Anyone who wishes to view the ordinance that will appear on the ballot in March can do so by visiting the village hall during its normal business hours of Monday - Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.