CITY OF PALATINE, IL
Mayor   Rita Mullin

Recruitment Efforts

1. Briefly describe the structure of your program.

Believing that the department should reflect the community it serves, the agency has recruited and hired officers to reflect Palatine’s racial and ethnic make-up. Taking an active role in visiting college job fairs, and Western Illinois University’s Law Enforcement Career Fair in particular, has been worthwhile for the agency. Since the early 1980's the department has made a push to recruit and hire officers and employees from all facets of the community. To reach an even further audience, the department now advertises its personnel needs via the Internet, providing surfers interested in the agency the ability to place their name and address on a list for later contact when openings occur or testing takes place.

Among sworn officers, the department is two percent (2 percent) black, while the Palatine community is less than one-half of one percent black. Spanish surnamed officers compose seven percent of the agency while the community is only five percent Hispanic.

3. How is the program financed?

The Palatine Police Department Budget.

Actively working with the community is vital to the success of any recruitment effort. The agency shares its needs in the minority community mainly through churches, retail establishments and other locations frequented.

The various cultural populations within the community are generally receptive to recruitment efforts by the local municipal government and will assist as needed.