Winnetka Village partners with P-4 Security Solutions to boost police force

In Winnetka, Illinois (WLS) — The local police chief has raised concerns about a shortage of staff. To address this issue, private security personnel will be introduced starting April 1st.

“The main objective is not to replace the police force but rather to complement it with this partnership, ensuring a continued presence in the community while we work on recruiting and retaining our police officers,” explained Chief Brian O’Connell in an exclusive interview with the I-Team.

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Chief O’Connell noted that very soon, the peaceful streets of the northern suburbs will not only be monitored by community police but also by private security officers from P-4 Security Solutions, marking a unique collaboration.

“They could assist us with perimeters for securing an area with the presence of our law enforcement team, directing traffic for us, following up in areas where we may have an alert or a suspicious vehicle seen,” O’Connell said.

Two P4 security officers will work the overnight shift in two vehicles leased by the village of Winnetka. The total cost of service for the year, starting April 1, is $367,000, according to the chief. He says P4’s primary goal is to observe, report and deter crime.

“This is the first time that a municipality of this size has hired off-duty and retired or off-duty police officers to patrol the neighborhood,” said Steve Vitale, P4 Security Solutions president.

He says the Downers Grove-based company already provides similar services to neighborhood organizations throughout Chicago, and says the aim is supplementation.

“Essentially, we’re providing an extra set of eyes and ears,” Vitale said.

Winnetka resident Eileen McGee is all for the first-of-its-kind public-private partnership.

“I think that’s a wonderful idea: the safer the better. You can never be safe enough. Doesn’t matter where you live, anything can happen,” McGee said.

Winnetka resident Mark Stefanik is skeptical.

“I don’t like it. So, that’s straightforward enough. I’d rather pay a little more in taxes or whatever the problem is to have a community policing force,” Stefanik said.

“While they don’t know the community, we’re going to ensure that we’re going to have the same people that are patrolling and the same rotation of officers that are working in this community. So, they get to understand who are the neighbors, who are the businesses, who are the kids in these areas,” Vitale said.

The only arresting powers the security officers will have are covered under citizen’s arrest statutes.

O’Connell says the partnership is to allow three candidates in the process of becoming Winnetka police officers the time they need to train for independent patrol, which he says can take up to a year.