For the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the days of the annual holiday weekend DUI/seat belt roadblock have ended, replaced by saturation patrols that officials believe to be more effective.
While some municipalities in Lake County still utilize roadblocks in an attempt to nab impaired drivers and those caught in seat belt, child restraint system or similar violations, the Sheriff’s Office dropped the long-standing tradition a couple of years ago.
Sheriff Mark Curran said roadblocks rely on random systems, such as checking every sixth vehicle that passes through a roadblock area, rather than concentrating on probable cause.
Curran said Friday that it’s more fair to all drivers, and more effective in deterring speeding, drunken driving and other violations, for officers to look for drivers displaying probable cause for a stop, such as speeding or weaving.
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Curran said it was a philosophical decision to steer away from the road blocks and utilize saturation patrols.
“We train and teach the concept of probable cause,” the sheriff said.
For the upcoming Memorial Day holiday, the Sheriff’s Office is participating in the 2017 national Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement mobilization.
“As we kick off the busy summer driving season, it is critical that everyone buckles up day and night – no excuses,” Curran said.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office will join law enforcement agencies across the United States in mobilizing the Click It or Ticket “Border to Border” Operation.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 9,874 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2015 were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash.
“Seat belts save thousands of lives every year, but far too many motorists are still not buckling up, especially at night when the risk of getting in a crash is even greater,” Curran said.
While this year’s Click It or Ticket enforcement mobilization runs from May 15 through May 30, sheriff’s officials said deputies will continue enforcing seat belt laws year-round.
Body camera build-up
peaking of changes at the Sheriff’s Office, another one with nationwide implications has been gradually ramping up toward completion.
About 95 percent of the deputies and command staff with the Sheriff’s Office are now equipped with body cameras. The effort began a few years ago with corrections officers in the jail, then continued with command staff and patrol officers, and is nearing 100 percent.
The one-time, five-year start-up cost of the effort was $1 million, Curran said, which was aided in part with the award of a $73,000 federal grant to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Curran said a cost-benefit analysis justified the expense.
“The public wants transparency,” Curran said of the use of body cameras, adding that the practice is beneficial not only to those in confrontations with police but to the officers as well, ideally providing preserved documentation of incidents.
Curran acknowledged that nationwide incidents and controversy over some police shootings played into the decision to equip the staff with body cameras.
Committee appointment
The Lake County Circuit Court’s director of Adult Probation Services has been named by the Illinois Supreme Court to the Illinois Judicial College’s Committee on Probation Education.
Rosemarie Gray was cited for her leadership in the justice system and her skills, experience and passion for her work.
As director of Adult Probation Services, Gray supervises 86 employees, including the court’s Pretrial Services Unit, Presentence Investigation/Pre-Intake Unit, Problem Solving Court supervision, and specialized probation supervision units for domestic violence, DUI, sex offenders, intensive probation, group reporting and probation field services.
She has been employed by the 19th Judicial Circuit for 37 years.
“All of us here at the 19th Judicial Circuit are very proud of Director Gray. Rose was very instrumental in our court becoming the first in the state to utilize an evidence-based pretrial risk assessment tool and she has been a leader and mentor in probation and pretrial practices for many years,” Chief Judge Jorge Ortiz said in announcing the appointment. “It is very gratifying that the Illinois Supreme Court has appointed her to this important committee.”
Gray was also previously appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to the Supreme Court Probation Policy Advisory Board and maintains the position of co-chair.
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The Illinois Judicial College was founded last year by the Illinois Supreme Court to improve and enhance the administration of justice through the expansion of excellence in professional education for Illinois’ judges.