The village council approved a resolution Aug. 12 to increase police enforcement during some of the deadliest times of the year for vehicle travel.
The Illinois Department of Transportation’s Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program for High Visibility Enforcement grant will fund the Forest Park Police Department’s work during the most dangerous times to drive: Holidays. The goal is to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on Illinois roadways.
The $46,464 grant will fund the work of police officers during six required campaigns on Thanksgiving, Christmas/New Year’s, St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.
Police working these days will enforce occupant protection and/or look out for impaired driving. Under occupant protection, police must work 30% of their hours between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., and 30% of citations should be for occupant restraint violations, or passengers not wearing seatbelts.
For impaired driving enforcement, all patrol hours must take place between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. and officers must be trained in Standardized Field Sobriety.
Municipalities that applied for the grant were given the option to participate in additional campaigns. Forest Park will also practice increased police enforcement during the Super Bowl and in April for a Distracted Driving campaign.
The village decided how much funding was needed per campaign and can use the $46,464 as needed throughout the year. Chief of Police Ken Gross is authorized to execute the grant.
At the Aug. 12 village council meeting, all four commissioners and Mayor Rory Hoskins voted to approve the resolution. With the village council’s vote, the grant has been cleared to start with the 2025 fiscal year, which began May 1.
The first holiday with increased enforcement will be Labor Day on Sept. 2.