Rockford Housing Authority leaders have a plan they hope will make the city’s public housing a better place for to live.
Officers from the Rockford Police Department patrol the city’s public schools. Now the Rockford Housing Authority wants a similar arrangement for its housing developments.
Like the school district, the housing authority would pay for the program: it would cost around $900,000 a year to hire and equip the seven member police unit.
The officers would be expected to create strong relationships within the communities, to address and prevent crime. Rockford City Council’s Finance and Personnel committee takes up the proposal at its meeting Tuesday.
If city council approves the plan, the RHA unit could be on patrol by January.