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2021 Police Beat Coordinator Community Meeting

City of Highland Park Hosts Police Beat Coordinator Community Meeting
Citywide event scheduled for October 18, 6:30 PM at the Highland Park Country Club

October 12, 2021 – The City of Highland Park will host an event on Monday, October 18, 6:30 PM at the Highland Park Country Club to introduce residents and business and property owners to the Police Beat Coordinator (PBC) program. Attendees will learn more about how the program helps the Police Department provide effective and efficient public safety services through shared responsibility and respect. Consistent with State of Illinois COVID-19 guidelines, attendees will be required to wear a face mask. The event will be livestreamed on the City’s Facebook page for those who prefer to attend virtually.

The in-person event will allow for a group Q&A and two-way dialogue. To better facilitate the flow of conversation, virtual attendees are invited to submit questions in advance to cityhp@cityhpil.com. Individuals interested in attending this program virtually are encouraged to RSVP to the Facebook event for a reminder before the livestream begins, at facebook.com/HighlandParkIL.

“Community engagement is a critical component of the City’s work effort and enhancing the relationship between the community and police is an important element of the City’s public safety operation,” said City Manager Ghida Neukirch. “We encourage residents, business owners, and employees to get to know their PBC officer, and to view them as a resource and partner to address everyday issues.”

The PBC program is a core component of the City’s community policing model, which emphasizes building relationships between officers and the community members they serve. As the first Police Department in the State of Illinois to sign on to the 10 Shared Principles of Public Safety, a joint initiative of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the NAACP, all Highland Park officers personally commit to upholding a core set of values, which include an endorsement of the four pillars of procedural justice, a focus on respect for life and de-escalation tactics, and support for citizen learning opportunities, such as this upcoming event. 

“Across all divisions of the Highland Park Police Department, our officers take great pride in applying the 10 Shared Principles to our daily work,” said Chief of Police Lou Jogmen. “The Principles underscore our mission to protect our community and enhance the quality of life through partnerships that uphold the public’s trust and foster mutual respect. The PBC Program is just one example of our department’s commitment to fair and equitable policing grounded in ongoing community engagement.”

Since 2019, the Police Beat Coordinator program has served to enhance communication between officers and community members. Each of five geographic areas, or “beats,” within Highland Park is served by a dedicated beat officer. PBCs address a variety of non-emergency issues with a focus on problem-solving, including concerns such as neighbor disputes, graffiti, parking issues and noise complaints. Residents and businesses are urged to contact their PBC for assistance with these and other non-emergency matters; in an emergency, individuals should always call 911 for immediate police service.

More information about the PBC program, including a beat map and PBC bios, is available at cityhpil.com/pbcprogram.

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