Two and a half years ago Larry Lapp could’ve assembled his entire full-time police force in one cruiser – and not had to use the backseat.
After coming on board in fall of 2022, the Fox Valley Park District police chief’s first assignment was to take a comprehensive look at the department “and my assessment was we just weren’t covering shifts because we didn’t have the manpower,” Lapp says. “It was me, the deputy chief and four part-time officers, which was extremely difficult.”
Fast forward 30 months and roll call looks a whole lot different.
Today, FVPD’s police force features seven full-time officers, including the chief and deputy, two part-time sergeants, and 16 part-time officers to go along with 20 park service officers – uniformed civilians who assist sworn officers with duties such as traffic control, parking violation enforcement, and crowd management.
Additionally under Lapp’s leadership, final inspections are taking place on a 1,600-square-foot expansion to FVPD’s Police & Public Safety Department located inside the Cole Center Administrative Office.
“We’ve right-sized our police force to provide broader coverage and visibility across District locations and facilities,” says FVPD Executive Director Jen Paprocki, noting the District’s 170+ parks, nearly 50-mile network of interconnected trails, and 2,600 acres of parkland across three municipalities. “Our team regularly explores opportunities to bolster safety and security, and the revamping of our police department with additions of both manpower and space is an investment in the well-being of the greater community.”
Financed by a 2024 bond sale, the $660,000 new addition features basic policework amenities, including a locker room – “officers didn’t have the ability to store their gear properly and safely before,” Lapp says – two interview rooms, a sergeant’s office, and a training room that can be modified to a traditional classroom setting, or set up for training demonstrations.
“The biggest thing is we’re becoming more and more self-sufficient,” says Lapp, who has officers on patrol in two shifts – 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. – every day of the year. “We’re able to handle our own police calls, investigate incidents, provide and participate in training opportunities … so many new doors have opened.”
Opportunity to be proactive
The department overhaul officially began in January 2023 with the hiring of two full-time officers, including Brian Hart who spent 27 years with the Aurora Police Department. Since Hart and Marc Badali (27 years with Burbank Police) came aboard, three full-time officers have been added to FVPD ranks, bringing the total to seven with a whopping 196 years of combined experience. Additionally, several part-time FVPD officers currently hold full-time positions in other departments, including the villages of Montgomery and Oswego, Kendall County Sheriff’s Department, and Lewis University.
“When we bring officers on board, we’re not training them to be a police officer,” Lapp says. “We’re orientating them to the Park District.”
Like municipal departments such as Aurora, North Aurora and Montgomery which are inside FVPD boundaries, Lapp’s non-traditional unit has the same ability and authority to enforce the laws as any other department across the country, though FVPD officers spend more time working preventative patrol and providing customer service.
“We have the opportunity to be proactive, like walking through the facilities along with checking in on our parks and trails,” Lapp says. “We’re not always there because something went wrong, we’re there because we want to make sure everyone feels safe. The simple presence of police often works as a natural deterrent to people with shady intentions.”
As one of the first pieces of a revamped force, Officer Hart has seen the evolution firsthand, in real time.
“I use the word ‘cohesive,’ because we get to see each other every single day and you can actually put names to faces instead of passing like ships in the night,” says Hart, a certified felony traffic stop instructor. “From a police perspective, the area departments already know they can count on us. But I like the idea that we can actually spend some time with people and go through an education process and show the human side of an officer.
“If nothing else, my hope is that we can change the perception of police in general.”
The primary mission of the Park District Police is to provide residents and guests with a safe and enjoyable environment and experience connected with use of trails, parks, programs and facilities offered by the District. For more information about the Department and the services it provides, visit https://www.foxvalleyparkdistrict.org/about-us/park-police-public-safety.
