Oswego Board OKs Police/Fire Blood Test Proposal, OFPD Doesn't.

Update & Clarification: This story has been amended to reflect that, even though the Oswego Village Board approved the proposed inter-governmental agreement between Police and Fire, The Oswego Fire Protection District did not. The OFPD Board of Trustees voted to table the agreement proposal until more investigation into its long-term effects can be done. This story was amended 4:25 p.m., Thursday Jan. 16.

OSWEGO, IL — Tuesday night's village board meeting was very long and, at times, very confusing,but a few important developments did emerge from it regardless. Among them, the board voted to approve an inter-governmental agreement between the Oswego Police and Fire Departments that will allow fire department paramedics to draw blood for police sobriety tests.

The agreement was proposed by Oswego Police Chief Jeffrey Burgner. Burgner said he had been in contact with Fire Chief Mike Veseling about the idea prior to the village board meeting, and that Veseling had voiced his support for it.

"This is part of a really incredible partnership that the fire department is willing to do for us," Burgner said to the village trustees. "It will help us out in getting the best evidence for those types of cases."

Veseling himself did not immediately respond to calls for comment, but a statement from the Oswego Fire Protection District sent out on Thursday, Jan. 16, suggested that the District was less "willing to do" the proposal than Burgner suggested.

"The [Oswego Fire Protection District] Board of Trustees voted Monday, January 13, 2020 to table the Intergovernmental Agreement, involving fire department Paramedics drawing blood for police sobriety tests, with the Oswego Police Department until such time that additional information, and clarification as to the impact and extent of this arrangement can be discovered," the statement read. "OFPD Staff will be working with OPD Staff to obtain additional information related to this topic to ensure that both agencies interests are addressed and that the procedures and policies moving forward have been better identified."

The Fire Protection District's concerns aside, Burgner said that police want to have as much evidence as possible when testing for drug-related offenses, especially DUIs. The human body begins to metabolize most chemical substances as soon as they are ingested, meaning the longer police have to wait for a blood test, the less likely they are to have enough clear evidence to prosecute. Protocol for years, Burgner said, has been to take suspected drug offenders to the ER at Rush or another local hospital, and wait for personnel there to draw a blood sample. This process often takes several hours.

"Currently without this agreement, we've been having this practice in place where we take them to Rush Hospital," Burgner said. "So you've got your drive time; your ride there. Then you've got to check the person into the ER... We're sometimes at the mercy of what's going on in the ER."

Under the new agreement, suspects could be taken to the Oswego PD headquarters on Woolley Road and a paramedic from the Oswego Fire Protection District could come to administer the blood draw themselves. Some board members expressed hope that this would also save on Police work-hours, though Burgner also noted that incidents requiring a blood test for drugs were rare. A primary motivation for proposing the change, he said, was concern over legal cannabis and people driving while high.

"The efficiencies on this particular [inter-governmental agreement] are more geared toward our being able to get the best evidence we can to provide the State's Attorney's Office," he said.

The board approved the agreement unanimously. Burgner said he would begin working with the Fire District to hammer out exact procedures and practices over the coming weeks.

His enthusiasm may be premature. The statement from the Fire District indicated that their staff wanted to conduct more research on the agreement before approving it.

"Once the additional information and clarification has been obtained, the OFPD Staff will take
the agreement to the Board of Trustees for further consideration," the statement read.