The department welcomed three new officers back to the department after they graduated from the Illinois State Police Academy in December. They have now started the Field Training Program. This program will last twelve weeks and if the officers completed the program they should be on the streets in late February. The department also graduated nine new part-time officers in December, who have started their training within the Police Department. The part-time officers will be able to start the Field Training Program after the full-time officers complete the program. We are looking forward to having these additional resources as the department prepares for summer.
The department has ordered three new patrol units to replace two that will be taken out of service when the new units are delivered. The new units are expected to arrive at the beginning of March and will be on the streets soon after we take delivery.
The Blue Island Police Department had great success in enforcing the curfew ordinance last year, and will continue to do so in the upcoming months as the weather improves. I want to remind parents to have your kids in before curfew so the department doesn't have to expend valuable resources on watching your children.
The department is preparing for the summer months and will use Justice Assistance Grant monies (J.A.G.) to provide extra patrols in the community. These will be walking patrols, bike patrols, A.T.V. patrols or patrols using marked squad cards. They will be determined by the type and amount of activity in a given area of the community. The department will continue to participate in the Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program grant (S.T.E.P.) which provides extra patrols for traffic enforcement during the course of the fiscal year. This grant allows officers to focus on different types of traffic infractions during various times of the year. The goal is to reduce accidents and traffic injuries with the additional enforcement efforts by the department. The total amount of the grant is about $24,000.00 annually.
The department is starting to plan the events for "National Night Out". Watch for more information on the Blue Island Police Department website, BITV Channel 4 and in the summer newsletter. The police department strives to be an important part of the community. Input from community members allows the department to better serve the community. I have asked the members of the community to call me if there is any recurring program in your neighborhood. The community-police department partnership is important in keeping Blue Island a safe place to live and raise a family. Please continue to help us do our job in protecting your family and the rest of the community.
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Each Year, nearly 1,000 fatalities in the United States are a direct result of collisions caused by red light running. This is why The Blue Island Police Department maintains photo based traffic safety systems at two local intersections. The Red Light Safety Cameras at the intersection of 127th St. and Kedzie Ave. and at the intersection of 127th St. and Gregory St. monitor red light running at these busy crossroads.