Huntley Police Exploring Lateral Recruiting Option

Between waiting for a police academy class to open up, three months at the academy and another six months of field training, Huntley Police Chief Robert Porter said it could take more than a year to get an officer sworn in and ready for patrol. However, Huntley police are looking to initiate a recruitment process that will allow lateral transfers of certified officers, expediting what can be a lengthy process to fill department openings. During Wednesday’s Huntley Police Commission meeting, the board voted to recommend amendments to village rules and regulations, one of which would allow lateral transfers. The process of lateral transfers has become a tool many police departments are looking at to fill openings with qualified officers in a quicker fashion, Porter said. “If you have a staffing shortage or crisis, you have certified officers that will be in good standing looking for another opportunity,” Porter said. Candidates still would have to go through an extensive background check and must remain in good standing with their department before being hired, Porter added. Commission Chairman Jim Burgess said he saw a lot of lateral transitions on The Blue Line, a popular website used to find open police and fire department jobs. So long as the village’s legal counsel does not have any significant changes to the proposed amendments, the changes will be taken before the Village Board for consideration during its Aug.