Drivers get belted over Memorial Day

A weekly check of the Buffalo Grove Police Department’s reports yields an array of calls.  From mail boxes being knocked down to neighbors who don’t get along.

                Somewhere Joe Friday is rolling his eyes.

                However, what’s not on the reports are the proactive efforts the men and women in blue do.  In addition to a series of community workshops and crime prevention and bike rodeos, the department is more than a little aggressive in its efforts in enforcing those laws designed to keep motorists safe.

                We’re not talking CPD aggressive, we’re talk safety aggressive.

                As was the case over the Memorial Day weekend when the Buffalo Grove Police 

 participated in a statewide initiative to “click it or ticket”.  The effort was in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which coordinated a “Coast to Coast” seat belt enforcement effort.

                There’s good news and bad for drivers in the village of furry bison.  The bad news is that 50 folks got a paper reminder to start buckling up, a reminder that will cost them.  The good news is that according to Sergeant Anthony Goldstein, who coordinated BG’s effort, the rate of seatbelt compliance in the village is among the highest in the state.

                Goldstein says the goal of the effort is to keep “everyone safe” while traveling in their vehicles.  Enforcement was a combination of checkpoints and “saturation” enforcement, the latter being enforcement by officers while on patrol.

                In a press release distributed by the village, Goldstein noted that “Our law enforcement personnel are proud of the efforts over the Memorial Day period, as we believe we played a role in saving the lives of many Buffalo Grove citizens”

                Goldstein added that “Buckling up is one of the easiest ways to ensure you stay safe during a crash. Those who were not wearing seat belts were ticketed. Our hope is that they realize we do this to remind them that we care about their safety.”

                So what’s ahead?  More enforcement.  Goldstein said the department is planning another seat belt campaign over the July fourth weekend.

                It’s likely that the cops will approach that campaign just as they did the Memorial Day effort. “The ‘Coast to Coast’ effort helped our enforcement team understand the gravity of the situation,” Goldstein said. “As such, we approached seat belt violators with a zero-tolerance mentality.”

                Get the message? Click it or ticket.

The 'hole' truth --- BG cops caught accepting cash

Sad as it may seem, BG’s cops were caught being “on the take” earlier today.

Typical cops.  Give us cash if you want a donut.  Or a mug.  Or a raffle ticket.

You didn’t need a dash cam or a body cam – the take was done in plain sight.

At a time when crime is running rampant and cops are getting thrown under the bus, where are BG’s finest?  Standing on roofs and, dare I say it?  Soliciting.

Who would have thought it would come to this?

But that’s exactly what happened. Fortunately, it was all in the name of charity as members of the Buffalo Grove Police Department spent time at three BG Dunkin’ Donuts to raise money for Special Olympics through its “Cop on the Roof” program.  In addition to taking cash, officers were selling chances to win a variety of prizes while also selling coffee mugs, T-shirts and other items to raise money for Special Olympics.

This year marked an unheralded first – a chance for a copy to actually get on the roof.   Unlike the Dunkin’ Donuts at Arlington Heights and McHenry roads, and at Aptakisic and Weiland roads, the new one at 245 McHenry Road actually has a flat roof that allows people to stand on it.  The other two have pitched roofs that are too hazardous for someone to stand on.

According to information from the village’s website, funds raised benefit the 2016 “Torch Run”, which “..has raised more than $35 million over 30 years while increasing awareness of Special Olympics Illinois athletes and their accomplishments..”

The event ran from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m., so if you offer a BG cop cash now, don’t be surprised if you end in a holding cell – which is not a good idea.  The donuts are not as fresh.

Get informed, get engaged

At its annual fund-raising lunch, the Better Government Association featured a video that has a clear message:  GetInformed, Get Involved

With the primary election on Tuesday, it’s not a bad idea. 

The idea of getting involved is not a message that’s unique to the BGA – Village Clerk Jan Sirabian has for years preaching the word about voting in all elections and has long been a proponent of civic engagement, as evidenced by her coordination of the village’s annual Civics Forum.

It would be a change of pace if board members added their support for civic engagement rather than personal interests.  It’s also too bad that the local media scene is so devoid of support for local civic engagement, opting instead to dedicate space to puffy haired soccer moms to rant about exercise gadgets or run spreads of folks slurping down wine at some fund-raiser for an inane cause.

The need for increased civic engagement was echoed loud and strong at the 2016 Illinois Civic Mission Coalition conference on Friday.  The focus was clear – Get informed, get involved.

Buffalo Grove Police Arrest Offender in Graffiti Case ….This from the village website --- Information obtained through the Lincolnshire Police Department School Resource Officer at Stevenson High School has led to an arrest in the Buffalo Grove parks graffiti case.

The offender, a 16-year-old juvenile who lives in Buffalo Grove, was voluntarily brought to the Buffalo Grove police station by his parents.

During the interview, which included the parents, the juvenile admitted his role in the graffiti case. Investigators are working with the Lake County States Attorney’s office to seek appropriate charges.

The police department and park district are working to identify and remove any remaining graffiti located in Buffalo Grove parks.

Watch, daddy’s deep pockets will get the kid off.

More from the website -- Applications are now being accepted for the Buffalo Grove Police Department Citizen Police Academy. The academy will take place each Wednesday night for eight weeks, starting March 30, 2016.

This academy is free and enrollment will be on a first come basis, limited to 20 attendees.

Academy attendees must be 21 years old and pass a background check. Classes are held at the Buffalo Grove Police Department located at 46 Raupp Boulevard.

Classes during this session will run from 7p.m. to 10 p.m. The academy will cover a wide range of law enforcement activities including K-9, traffic enforcement, firearms, forensics, criminal investigations, SWAT team and operational structure of the Buffalo Grove Police Department.

Applications are available online at http://www.vbg.org/DocumentCenter/View/1490 or in- person at the police station.  Any questions please call Officer Tom Derken at (847) 459-2560 or email police@vbg.org.

This is one of a variety of community education programs and projects the BG cops offer. You’ll find them well worth your time and effort.