At the April 10 Burr Ridge Village Board meeting, the village’s two deputy police chiefs gave their annual report.
Deputy Chief Marc Loftus’ report detailed crime and future plans over the next year. The entire report should be on the police departments website soon, Loftus said.
For the most part, the last year was hardly an outlier for crime in Burr Ridge, but Loftus did say crime was up slightly in some areas, back to pre-pandemic numbers. In other words, as people got out more, drove more and left for work away from home, some crime did creep up.
Out of nearly 27,300 calls last year, 3,000 were for routine traffic stops. But most calls weren’t even for crime.
“The majority of our calls are in service to the community, helping where we can, helping animals, helping people get their cars unlocked, doing extra patrols and things like that,” Loftus said.
But both property crime is up over the last two years, but still lower than in the years prior to the pandemic. Also, he noted the 11 car thefts were all likely preventable.
“Every stolen motor vehicle that was stolen was left unlocked with the keys left in it,” he said.
Mayor Gary Grasso seemed surprised.
“Every one,” the mayor asked.
“Every one,” Loftus said.
“So, it’s very preventable,” the mayor said, adding he’d like a note on the village’s website that residents have to help themselves not be victims of property crime and take basic steps to secure their things.
Even so, in 2019 the village reported 13 car thefts.
Loftus also reported an uptick in residential burglaries, but nothing out of line with surrounding communities. Based on that, Loftus said his department is working with surrounding communities to crack down on repeat offenders and gangs of thieves who sweep through the western suburban area in a coordinated effort.
Vehicle theft and burglary are up in some areas, but it’s still on decline since 2018.
But it wasn’t all bad news. Violent crimes — assault, rape — are down and last year the police responded to only four incidents. In addition, a resident of a neighboring town can report an incident in Burr Ridge, and the Burr Ridge police still take and count that as a case — even if it’s another jurisdiction.
“Violent crimes are down, and they are low,” Loftus said. In addition, the police reported they only had to use force a dozen times last year, but that could include displaying a weapon at a suspect but never firing it.
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“Is it true we have not had any complaints of use of excessive force,” Grasso asked.
“I’ve been deputy chief for 13 years and there have been none since I’ve been deputy chief,” Loftus said.
“Of those six pursuits five of those were vehicles coming from other areas and us assisting outside agencies.”
As reported during the budget hearing last month, the police department plans on getting more traffic cameras to ID suspected stolen vehicles coming through Burr Ridge, and Deputy Chief Ryan Husarik said the village should feel even more secure next year. Also, last year was the first year the village police had a drone, which Loftus called “a game changer.”
The presentation required no board action and is an annual tradition.
The next meeting, May 8, will begin at 6:30 p.m. as will subsequent meetings as the board did approve to move meetings from 7 p.m. to a half-hour earlier.
Jesse Wright is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.