Saturday, May 18, 2013
Police officers will be on the hunt for people texting while driving and doing other activities while driving that takes attention away from the road.
Palos Park Police plan to begin a distracted driving enforcement campaign this summer. Officers will be watching for drivers who are texting, using a hand-held cell-phone, grooming, reading or participating in other major distractions while driving. "The extra enforcement is meant to promote safety and the officers on the enforcement campaign will monitor Palos Park roads around the clock," said Palos Park Police Chief Joe Miller in a release. "We are simply seeking compliance." Chief Miller noted that in 2011, 3,331 people in the United States were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver, compared to 3,267 in 2010, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Another 387,000 people were injured in motor …
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Information will help seniors avoid losing big.
Free seminars on how you can protect yourself from scams will be held Thursday. The effort is part of Palos Park's Project Scams Target Older People & through awareness we can Intercept Thieves program. Palos Park police will hold two seminars at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Feb. 28 at the Kaptur Administrative Center, 8999 W. 123rd. Discussion will focus on home repair, Internet and mail scams, in addition to identity theft, credit card and other financial fraud. Senior citizens, specifically, will be given information about how to ward off would-be scammer. “We see reports of seniors being scammed on the increase, and the sophistication of the scams is also increasing and we need to increase awareness," said Palos Park Police Commissioner Dan …
Thursday, February 7, 2013
A school bus from Lemont was reportedly involved in a rear-end crash, police said. It wasn't immediately clear if any students were present. No injuries have been reported.
Updated 12:50 p.m. Friday Eight people, including several students, were involved in a crash between a school bus and van Thursday afternoon, police said. No one was injured. Both vehicles were owned by the same company, according to Palos Park police. The van reportedly rear ended the bus. Original post No injuries have been reported following a school bus crash in Palos Park Thursday afternoon. Palos Park police were called at about 3:30 p.m. near the intersection of Wolf and McCarthy roads. The Lemont bus appears to have been involved in a rear-end collision, said Palos Park Chief Joe Miller. It was not immediately clear if students were on the bus when the crash occurred. Check back with Patch for more updates. Follow Patch on Facebook…
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Detective Barry Churin of the Palos Park Police Department was named the 2012 SWAT Operator of the Year for the South Suburban Emergency Response Team.
A Palos Park police officer was recently named the 2012 SWAT Operator of the Year for the South Suburban Emergency Response Team, SunTimes Media reports. Detective Barry Churin has spent 20 years serving south suburban communities, according to the report. He has spent nine years with the emergency response team. Churin told SunTimes Media that serving the last nine years has been both an honor and the fulfilment of a goal. Join the conversation. Friend Palos Patch on Facebook and sign up for the daily email newsletter! Want more news?
Monday, January 28, 2013
Frank Slabenak's father passed away in November and the 19-year-old cadet at the Palos Park Police Department is working toward a degree in criminal science.
Frank Slabenak knew he wanted to be a police officer at a young age. Unlike many boys who play cops and robbers, Slabenak's interest compelled him to actually do something about it. At the age of 12, Slabenak became a cadet with the Palos Park Police Department. Seven years later, this 19-year-old man from Palos Park is still with the department, working as a clerk, and is currently studying criminal justice at Moraine Valley Community College. Within two years, he plans to graduate with an associate degree and start part-time training to become a police officer. Slabenak was recently awarded the Palos Park Police Cadet Scholarship to help pay for schooling. But the money is coming at a somber time. His father, also named Frank Slabenak, …
Thursday, January 17, 2013
New scams claim to be coming from law enforcement.
Police want residents to know about scams involving claims about law enforcement. In one scam, a person on the phone pretends to be from the State's Attorney's Office, saying money needs to be wired to pay off an outstanding issue under threat of arrest. A second over-the-phone scam involves a scammer pretending to be from the FBI who wants to put "crime fighting equipment" in the person's yard. The scammer also asks the call recipient to send money through Western Union. Police say that if you get one of these calls, you should hang up the phone. Those who feel they have been victimized should call their local police department. Join the conversation. Friend Palos Patch on Facebook and sign up for the daily email newsletter!
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Scams are popping up all the time. Police want you to be safe and not fall prey.
A Palos Heights woman was one of two scammed out of a combined $172,000 in a lottery scam, according to police officials. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart is cautioning residents about a scam where criminals contact people, saying they won a jackpot without even buying a ticket. Many of the victims are senior citizens. Palos Park police sent out the warning late last month. Read: Palos Park Hit With Ruse Scams An 80-year-old woman from Palos Heights lost $90,000, according to Cook County Sheriff's police. The second victim was a 74-year-old Lansing, who was taken for $82,000. The scam claims that prize money can be collected if the victim first sends money throug Western Union or a cashier's check to a foreign address to cover added taxes or …
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Palos Park police are investigating the Sunday afternoon incident.
A Palos Park senior citizen was robbed of $1,000 cash after a man posed as her new neighbor to get into the house. Palos Park police are investigating the ruse, which happened at about 4 p.m. Sunday in the 12000 block of Southwest Highway. The 91-year-old woman was home napping when the she was woken by a knock on the door, police said. The man at the door told the senior citizen that he had moved in down the block and wanted to park his trailer on her property. Read: Tips for Preventing Ruse Burglaries The woman invited the man into her kitchen and chatted for 20 minutes before he left, police said. That's when the victim noticed her bedroom door closed and found $1,000 missing. The man is described as 6 feet, 1 inches, with olive skin …
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Don't give out your personal information over the phone.
A caller claiming to be an agent from the Drug Enforcement Administration is threatening Palos Park residents if they don't give out personal information. Palos Park police are warning about the scam. The person on the phone tells whoever answers he'll throw them in jail or take them to court if they don't give the personal details. Not surprisingly, the caller isn't a DEA agent, police said. In fact, no law agent or officer of any law enforcement would ever call, asking for personal information. Anyone who receives a call like this should contact the Palos Park Police Department at (708) 671-3700. Like Palos Patch on Facebook and sign up for the breaking news alerts!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
The daytime burglaries have police warning residents to keep their valuables safe.
A pair of daytime burglaries—the second coming midday Wednesday—have struck homes in the Village of Palos Park. Police say the two separate incidents have happened during daylight hours. In both cases, thieves pried their way into the homes and bolted with electronics and jewelry. No arrests have been reported connected to these recent crimes. Friend Palos Patch on Facebook. The first break in was on Nov. 8 at a home on 84th Avenue, police said. Burglars got in through a side door. A house in the first block of Old Creek Road was hit Wednesday. The perpetrators forced open the garage door. Police are asking residents to lock their doors and secure valuables inside their houses. Home alarms should also be set. Keep a look out in the …
Jon K. Stark
9:13 am on Thursday, February 28, 2013
ATTENTION SENIORS: DO NOT SEND MONEY ORDERS TO PEOPLE CLAIMING TO BE Nigerian Princes or other members of a royal family seeking to transfer large sums of money out of the country! more ›