Title
Memorandum of Agreement Renewal - Assignment of One (1) Sworn Police Officer to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, Chicago Division
History
The Police Department is requesting approval to enter into a new 5-year Memorandum of Agreement with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for the assignment of one (1) sworn Orland Park Police Officer to the DEA Task Force, Chicago Division, for the period of October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2031.
Under the terms of the Agreement, the selected officer will be assigned to assist with the investigation and enforcement of local, regional, national, and international drug trafficking organizations while serving as a DEA Task Force Officer. The assignment will provide the Orland Park Police Department with an additional resource to investigate complex narcotics-related offenses and address the distribution of illegal drugs within the region.
The Orland Park Police Department has partnered with the DEA since 2020, which has been a fruitful and productive partnership that the department seeks to extend.
The continued participation of the Orland Park Police Department in the DEA Task Force provides an opportunity to combine local and federal law enforcement resources and further enhance the Department's ability to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals and organizations involved in the illegal distribution of controlled substances.
The proposed Memorandum of Agreement will authorize the Orland Park Police Department to continue its participation in the DEA's State and Local Government Task Force program. The assigned officer will continue to function as a member of the Orland Park Police Department while working in cooperation with DEA personnel and other participating law enforcement agencies.
Participation in the DEA Task Force provides the Department with the following benefits:
- Federal drug agent deputization
- Expanded regional and national investigative resources
- Ability to participate in complex criminal investigations
- Shared manpower and enhanced investigative capabilities
- Multiple prosecution venues
- Access to combined federal, state, and local intelligence resources
- Utilization of DEA investigative and intelligence resources
- DEA-provided training and travel opportunities, subject to applicable funding and program requirements
- Participation in equitable sharing of qualifying asset seizures
- Increased coordination with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies
- Enhanced ability to investigate and disrupt organized drug trafficking organizations
The five-year Memorandum of Agreement would be effective October 1, 2026 and remain in effect through September 30, 2031, unless otherwise terminated or modified in accordance with the terms of the Agreement.
Financial Impact
The financial impact of the Agreement includes the reassignment of one (1) sworn police officer to the DEA Task Force. The Village of Orland Park will remain responsible for the officer's regular salary and benefits, including applicable retirement, FICA, and other employment-related costs.
The DEA, subject to the availability of federal funds and the terms of the Agreement, may reimburse the Village for eligible overtime and other authorized expenses associated with the officer's participation in the Task Force. Reimbursement is subject to applicable federal funding, policies, and program requirements and does not include the Village's normal employee benefit costs unless otherwise provided for in the Agreement.
The assignment is intended to provide a force multiplier by allowing the Department to leverage federal resources while maintaining the officer's connection to the Orland Park Police Department and its overall law enforcement mission.
Recommended Action/Motion
I move to approve the Memorandum of Agreement authorizing the assignment of one (1) sworn Orland Park Police Officer to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, Chicago Division, for the period of October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2031.
And,
To authorize the Village Manager or his designee to execute the Memorandum of Agreement with the Drug Enforcement Administration.