Monday 14 December 2015

Administrator/Public Safety Report - December 8, 2015


UCR (Uniform Crime Reporting) Statistics

   Since 2012 Sauk Village has had the highest UCR reported crime in South Suburbs

   In the 8 UCR major categories; Murder, Rape, Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Theft,   Motor  Vehicle  Theft   and  Arson;  crime  went   down  8.9%  in  2013,  13.1%  in 2014  and  is projected to go down  64.6%  in 2015.

   The question is; are Sauk Village's reported UCR crime real or contrived?

   For the first 8 mos. Prior to Chief Kowalski's arrival major UCR crime averaged 22.9 crimes a month, after Chief Kowalski's arrival major UCR crime averaged 6.5 crimes a month a difference (or reduction) of  69.9%.

   We did a precursory assessment of reported major UCR crime in 2014. It was determined that reporting numbers were erroneous. We did not determine why.

   I contacted the University of Illinois regarding a project that would provide a team to conduct a non-bias forensic audit of our UCR reports going back to 2012. I have sent the UIC the necessary paperwork to proceed with the project. Sauk Village does not have the resources to conduct such an audit and even if it did it would not pass the non-bias standard.

Why is this important?

    Recently several social media pages and the State of Illinois reported that Sauk Village was among the worst crime communities in Illinois. The source of their information was Sauk Village's reported UCR statistics to ISP (Illinois State Police).

   This type of reported information when reviewed by the public is conceived as factual. Opinions are then formulated about the Village as to its viability as a community to start a business, live, work or play.

   If the audit shows that the Village's UCR fillings are inaccurate the Village has the ability to go back one year (2014) and change that report with corrected findings.

   Corrected findings, I believe, will show that Sauk Village is not the crime ridden community it is portrayed to be and will immediately remove us off the Illinois list of worst crime communities.

   Corrected findings will give the Village an opportunity to be competitive with its neighbors on a business footing and show it can be viable place to raise a family.

Creation Citizen Complaint Review Board (CCRB)

   Sauk Village does not have the resources to review or make "determinations of findings" on all public complaints against employees.

   This lack of resources allows misconduct to go unanswered, angers the public for lack of accountability and gives the perception that the Village is protecting its own.

   The creation of a "Citizen Complaint Review Board" would allow selected members of the community apart from the government the ability to review and make recommendations on employee conduct. The CCRB would either make a recommendation to dismiss a public complaint or forward it for corrective action.

   Public input is paramount to the overall success of a community, it becomes even more important when a public employee falls under real or conceived scrutiny.

   I will be working with our attorney's and sending the Public Safety and Ordinance Committee a draft Ordinance for the creation of a Citizen Review Board.

Update on Blueprint Partners Project (BPP) - Vacant Housing Component

   Staff has combined four independent vacant housing lists into one master list. The independent lists varied from as high 707 vacant houses to under 400 vacant homes.

   The new master list, lists 564 vacant homes in three categories:

        Vacant with sewer service only - 6 houses

        Vacant with water service only- 75 houses

        Vacant with no water/sewer service - 483 houses

   Staff will proof the current master list one last time and then start updating the information as new information presents itself.

   Staff has begun placing green "Vacant" stickers on identified vacant housing (in accordance with our agreement with Cook County). The community responded positively and is informing staff of occurrences at housing where the stickers were placed. Staff is also finding occupancy in some of the identified houses where owners failed to obtain occupancy permits or establish water accounts. When squatters are identified the information is turn over to SVPD.

   Once the master list is proofed staff will begin to identify those vacant housing that are in arrears to the Village. The Master list, in time, will also identify other pertinent information that can be used expedite water services.