La Grange swore in a new police officer Monday night, bringing the Village closer to meeting its staffing needs.
“I’m just excited as can be,” Rocco Venute, 22, said before the ceremony. “I’m happy to serve, I’m blessed.”
Venute is a recent graduate of the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy at the College of DuPage, and he described the 16-week course as “challenging.”
A native of Melrose Park, Venute’s father and namesake is a retired Melrose Park police officer who led the Pledge of Allegiance before the meeting with Rocco’s mother, Dominique.
Venute is a graduate of the Proviso Math and Science Academy, earned an associate degree from Triton College, and is working toward a B.A. in Communications at Governor’s State University.
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He most recently served as an Auxiliary Officer with the Rosemont Public Safety Department, and has just begun a 14-week course of field training with a specially-trained La Grange police officer.
Police Chief Timothy Griffin said that the department was still two officers short of desired staffing, and he said the positions will likely be filled in the near future.
“The hiring process is quite involved, so it will probably be a couple of months,” he said.
In other police business, the Village issued a notice about a suspicious incident that took place on the afternoon of September 8.
At about 4 p.m., a group of juveniles were approached by a man in a gray SUV with tinted windows.
Described as an older white male with black hair, a bald spot, and white beard, the subject pulled his vehicle over on the wrong side of the street and motioned the kids over to him. He was holding a soccer ball in a box.
None of the kids approached the vehicle and the man left the area.
“It’s still under investigation,” Sgt. Ken Uher said before the meeting. “We’re looking for video evidence or anything like that. Nobody was harmed and the kids did what kids should do and not approach any vehicles. We just wanted to remind the public to be safe out there.”
The La Grange Police and Seventh Avenue School were notified of the incident on Sept. 11, and the Police will be increasing patrols in area parks and schools.
Police urged anyone with information on the incident should contact Police at 708-579-2333.
The next meeting of the La Grange Board of Trustees will be 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25, in the Village Hall Auditorium, 53 S. La Grange Rd.
Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.