HAMPTON, Illinois — The village of Hampton is without a police department after the village board voted on Monday, Dec. 11 to disband the local force. The village will instead use the Rock Island County Sheriff's Office for law enforcement needs instead.
Around town before the board meeting, the idea proved to be controversial with residents like Marlene Fellows, who worried that losing the police department would mean a loss of community.
"We're one of the last little towns that has a police department, and I think it makes me safer because any time we've called them, they've been right there," Fellows said.
Like Fellows, Skip McLaughlin has lived in Hampton almost his whole life and was frustrated with the board for not being more open on the decision-making process.
"When you get to know the police officers, and then they become your friends, and now [the board] wanna pull in a bunch of people that I don't know — I don't even know if I trust them," McLaughlin said.
In public comment before the board voted, neighbors were worried about the quality of police service and possibly slower response times for 911 calls. Residents, including local teacher Damon Bautista, gave public input for almost two hours.
"The police department has been great, and being a teacher, I know that we have to advocate for things that are transparent and give people a voice," Bautista said.
The board argued that the decision is fiscally responsible and will allow for more consistent police coverage 24/7.
"There is a lot that goes into running a village. There is a lot more than police department. We have fire. We have roads," board president Christopher Bornhoeft said.
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