Neighborhoods safer with Community Policing Program

Thanks to the support of residents, the Police Department’s Community Policing Program was extremely successfully during 2010. After a full year of Zone Meetings, residents have seen crime reduced in their neighborhoods. Police are addressing and targeting specific places and problems identified by residents during these monthly Zone Meetings. The program focuses on crime prevention, police-community partnerships, and problem solving in individual neighborhoods.

Police also gave valuable presentations on law enforcement operations during Zone Meetings. Topics covered during 2010 were:

• 911 Center and emergency phone calls;
• South Suburban Emergency Response Team (SWAT);
• South Suburban Major Accident Reconstruction Team;
• Ziggy the Police Canine;
• Lockup and Computer Identification System;
• Crime Free Rental Housing Program; Crime Scene Processing

More information about the Community Policing Program is at 335-9640.

Community Policing  - Zone Meeting Schedule

Zone 1 (Hazel Crest Proper)
2nd Thursday of every month, 7 p.m. at Fire Station #1

Zone 2 (North of 175th Street, west of bridge)
1st Thursday of every month, 7 p.m. at the Village Hall

Zone 3 (South of 175th Street)
3rd Thursday of every month, 7 p.m. at the Village Hall

Crime Free Housing Ordinance

Under the Village’s Crime-free Housing Ordinance, a landlord is required to remove a tenant if that tenant—or any member of the household—is engaged in criminal activity or is causing an unreasonably high number of calls for police service.

If the landlord does not remove criminal or nuisance tenants, the Village has the authority to revoke the landlord’s license to operate rental property within the Village. A landlord will be required to terminate a lease if a person engages in certain criminal activity. A conviction is not required to justify the termination of a lease.

Hazel Crest police officers have been trained to effectively enforce the Village’s Crime-free Housing Ordinance.

The Police Department recently completed Crime-free Housing classes for all landlords of rental property in Hazel Crest. Landlords were required to attend a four-hour informational training session in order to be issued an operating license in the Village. Failure to complete the class will result in the landlord’s license being null and void. Certified instructors conducted the training sessions, and all landlord information was entered into the Police Department’s computer files.

More information about he Village’s Crime-free Housing Ordinance is at 335-9640.