What is the Police Consultant Program?

A school police consultant, who is a police officer with the local police department, is assigned to each school. The police consultant’s duties include counseling students who have violated the law and conducting classroom lectures on law, good citizenship, safety, and drugs and alcohol. The police consultant also is available to talk with parents of students who have experienced difficulty with the law. In addition, the police consultant handles police matters which occur at the school. Students who experience thefts, vandalism or related problems at the school should notify the police consultant.

High School District 211 began the police consultant program in 1969. The program was instituted by the Board of Education in cooperation with local law enforcement and village agencies to fulfill the following needs:

• Maintain a more personal relationship between law enforcement agents and high school students;
• Assist school administrators and staff in maintaining a safe and secure learning environment and protect students, staff, and the school from law violations;
• Serve as a liason between the school and local law enforcement and emergency response agencies;
• Deal effectively with juvenile offenses;
• Improve the relationship between law enforcement agents and teenagers;
• Help prepare educational programs concerning social problems in which law violations are involved.

Students, parents and staff members are encouraged to take advantage of the services offered by the school police consultant. The police consultant serves students and staff members in a variety of ways:

• Serves as a counselor for students involved in law violations;
• Is available for classroom lectures and discussions on law, law enforcement, safety and good citizenship;
• Serves as a resource for drug and alcohol issues;
• Is available to work with parents on student runaway problems;
• Helps the school administration solve theft problems;
• Assists with truancy issues;
• Represents the school in court action involving students;
• Supervises school parking lots;
• Serves as a crowd and vehicle control officer at special school events;
• Refers school discipline matters to the school administration.

Palatine High School

Michael Cohen

Officer Michael Cohen has been a member of the Palatine Police Department for five years.  He earned his bachelor’s degree in Law Enforcement and Justice Administration and a minor in Fire Science from Western Illinois University.  Officer Cohen currently serves as a Crime Scene Technician, Field Training Officer, and certified Juvenile Specialist for the department.  Officer Cohen’s other certifications and trainings include: CPR, AED, & Narcan certification, Advanced Impairment training, Sexual Assault Investigator training, and de-escalation training.

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Fremd High School

Martin Peter van der Hoek 

Officer van der Hoek has been with the Palatine Police Department's patrol division for eight years. During that time, he served as one of the department's forensic technicians, a drone pilot, a field training officer and a firearms and medical instructor. He is also a forensic technician for the regional major crimes task force. Prior to joining the Palatine Police Department, Officer van der Hoek interned for then-Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth and served on active duty for six years in the U.S. Army. 

 

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Conant High School

Matthew Teipel

Officer Matt Teipel has been a member of the Hoffman Estates Police Department for over 22 years. He grew up in the area and was a graduate of District 211. Officer Teipel worked in the gang and drug unit for over 10 years. In addition, he was a traffic officer and is currently certified in truck enforcement. Officer Teipel took great pride working as a field training officer training newly hired police officers. He also assisted with the Hoffman Estates Police Explorer program training 14-to 20-year-olds who are interested in law enforcement. Officer Teipel is a certified juvenile specialist.

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Schaumburg High School

Elmer Guzman

Hoffman Estates High School

Jason Gessert

Officer Jason Gessert has been a member of the Hoffman Estates police department for 19 years. Growing up, Officer Gessert wanted to do three things: be a United States Marine, a police officer and an astronaut. He served in the Marine Corps for four years after high school, being deployed in Operation Allied Force in Kosovo. After being honorably discharged from his military service, he actively pursued his next dream of becoming a police officer and was hired by the Village of Hoffman Estates, where he has been an evidence technician, field training officer and crisis intervention team member. He is also a certified peer support member and strongly advocates for the mental health of first responders. He has a heart to serve, and has not given up on serving in outer space to fulfill his third dream. 

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District 211 North Campus

Matt Cholsta

Officer Matt Chlosta is a Chicago native and first-generation Polish-American who speaks fluent Polish. Prior to joining the police department, he worked in marketing and product management, providing the opportunity to live and work in Europe for a year and a half. He has been a police officer for more than three years.