January 12, 2022 -- The City of Highland Park Police Department presented its new five-year strategic plan to City Council on Monday, January 10, 2022. In alignment with the City’s mission statement and core priorities, the plan incorporates short- and long-term goals to enhance and promote public safety through community engagement, values-oriented policies and procedures, new technologies, and investment in staff training and development. At the heart of the plan are the Police Department’s mission, vision, commitment to fair and equitable policing, and the 10 Shared Principles of Public Safety. The Principles are an all-encompassing statement of ethics developed through a partnership between the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the NAACP, Illinois State Conference, which articulate the values to which all Highland Park police officers commit.
The plan is structured around four goal areas:
- enhanced community connection and interaction;
- community law enforcement challenges;
- staff support, training, and succession; and
- technology and infrastructure.
Each goal is supported by three objectives, which represent the core areas of focus needed to achieve that goal. The plan then identifies a number of strategies towards each objective, each of which is accompanied by an action plan, responsible individuals, target completion date, and metrics for success. Each strategy is linked to the Principle(s) it supports, many of which center around ways in which public safety professionals can work to build mutual community trust and understanding. These include an endorsement of the four pillars of procedural justice, the community policing model, efforts to diversify the profession and community education programs.
“The Police Department’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) runs throughout the strategic plan,” said Mayor Nancy Rotering. “The initiatives in support of DEI, community-based policing, and equity-focused public safety are concrete measures that build on programs and strategies that have proven successful in our community, from training our team in mental health first aid and crisis intervention to partnering with community-based advocacy groups to planning fun events like National Night Out and Coffee with a Cop.”
Community feedback obtained during the Police Department’s listening sessions informs all of the plan goals and objectives. These include the enhancement of popular, successful programs such as the Police Beat Coordinator system, department-sponsored education and volunteer programs such as the Citizens’ Police Academy and CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), and local partnerships with the school districts, county-level government, and the Lake County NAACP; the continuation and development of training programs that address articulated community needs, such as de-escalation and mental health strategies; and improvements to field and administrative technology, including the implementation of body-worn cameras.
“During an 18-month planning process, the City engaged community stakeholders across multiple sectors to produce a plan that addresses the unique public safety priorities and concerns of Highland Park residents, business owners, property owners, faith communities, government partners, nonprofit organizations, and City staff,” said Chief of Police Lou Jogmen. “I am proud to work with such a dedicated team of public safety professionals, who are truly committed to our community and eager to develop new and innovative ways to serve the people of Highland Park, consistent with the values we all share.”Read the 2022-2026 Police Department Strategic Plan.
Department Overview
During the Tuesday, October 10 meeting of the Committee of the Whole, Chief of Police Lou Jogmen provided an overview of the Highland Park Police Department, including an overview of the 10 Shared Principles of Public Safety, personnel structure, traffic safety, crime mitigation, community policing, and health and safety initiatives. The 10 Shared Principles are at the heart of the Police Department's community engagement strategy and prioritize building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.