Waukegan police hail significant drop in crime

Enhanced intelligence and the ability to move Waukegan police officers from one area of concern to another, or to a different shift when the need arises, helped contribute to a significant drop in crime over the past year, according to police officials.

Between Jan. 1 and Sunday, the overall crime rate dropped 11.76% from the same period last year, with crimes against persons falling 9.5%. The murder rate fell 40%, and there was a 44.44% reduction in rapes.

“We increased the number of officers on patrol, particularly at night,” Police Chief Edgar Navarro said. “We increased the number of investigations. We moved people around. We increased the number of detectives in the criminal investigation unit. We used the drug and gang unit.”

Deputy Police Chief Elias Agaliano gave the updated crime report to the City Council’s Public Safety Committee on Monday at City Hall.

When asked by Ald. Juan Martinez, 3rd Ward, the committee chair, why the decrease in crime was so significant, Agaliano said it was the hard work of all the officers.

“I have to give credit to the officers on the street doing their job and knowing what’s going on every day,” he said after giving the report. “Even with all the distractions, they’re doing a fantastic job.”

Highlighting some of the crimes against individuals, Agaliano said there have been three homicides so far this year, while there were five — a 40% decline — the year before over the same timeframe. The number of rapes dropped from 72 to 40, the largest percentage improvement at 44.44%.

Another significant improvement was the reduction of reported cases of aggravated assault from 219 to 164 — a 25.11% decrease. Simple assault decreased slightly, from 762 to 750 or 1.57%, and the number of statutory rapes remained at five in both years.

Total crimes against individuals dropped 9.5%, from 1,063 to 962, primarily because of the near steady number of simple assault cases.

Total crimes against property like burglary, robbery and car theft, also declined, going from 2,091 a year ago to 1,821, a 12.91% decrease. The only offenses that increased were thefts, from 618 to 683, a 10.52% increase, and fraud, which grew 1.96% from 153 to 156.

Burglaries showed the biggest reduction of crimes against property, dropping 44.34% from 221 to 123, while arson fell 40% from 10 to 6. Stolen cars were another large category showing a 35.61% drop.

Forgeries and counterfeiting are classified together, and the total fell from 29 to 21, or 24.14%, while robberies plunged 16.33%, from 49 to 41. Cases of destruction of property showed an 11.93%  drop, from 49 to 41.  The reduction for all crimes fell 11.76%, from 3,154 to 2,783.

Mayor Sam Cunningham said the decrease in crime goes beyond Waukegan, particularly in North Chicago and Zion. There is cooperation between the three police departments and intelligence is shared, he said.

“We are taking preventive measures,” he said. “We’re able to stop things before they happen.”

Reinstituted in 2022, Navarro said the community policing unit has grown roots throughout the city’s neighborhoods and is paying dividends. People are becoming more comfortable letting police know of problems in the area. The 411 tip line has been an asset as well.

“There is a lot more communication, and we are able to act on the information,” he said. “Responses to the 411-tip line have increased. People are using it because they know they can remain anonymous.”

Cunningham also said communication between the community and the police is making a difference. He has attended neighborhood police meetings and sees how people respond when they have the opportunity.

“It makes a world of difference,” Cunningham said. “We all believe neighborhood policing is effective. We believe people can see that.”