Berwyn police chief looks back at achievements, ahead to 2013

BERWYN — As a city just a few blocks from the Chicago border, Berwyn shares some of the same challenges of the metropolitan giant. Berwyn Police Chief Jim Ritz said he’s proud of many of the accomplishments of his department over the past year — several of which were achieved with the help of residents who volunteered their time to their community.

“Through tremendous recruiting efforts we now have more participants in our volunteer programs than ever before, which includes Neighborhood Watch and Block Captains, Citizens Police Academy, Volunteers in Policing, and our very popular Police Explorer Program,” Ritz said.

In the coming year, Ritz said he looks forward to continuing and furthering the department’s relationship with schools as well as the people police are charged with protecting.

What are some of the biggest improvements made within the police department this year?
Our Telecommunications Unit received national recognition for being the first standalone communications center to be certified as partners with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and they were also the first communications center in the Loyola Medical system and the western suburbs to launch the Emergency Medical Dispatch program.

We updated our School Safety and Emergency Crisis Plans with School Districts 201, 100 and 98, along with implementing our student drop-off and pick-up traffic safety plans at all Berwyn schools, which has been a tremendous success. We started the first Berwyn Police Department Crisis Intervention Team to increase the safety and awareness of first responders and to reduce the incidence and severity of dealing with individuals in our community with mental health-related issues. The BPD is also one of the first agencies in the state of Illinois to implement the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System through the FBI and the state of Illinois Bureau of Identification.

Two of our evidence technicians also attended a five-week Crime Scene Investigators certification course through the Illinois State Police. We also created the new position of Crime Analyst. This position now enhances our crime mapping and analysis strategies to prioritize patrol and investigative crime suppression, and to plan for future resource needs.

What criminal activity has Berwyn been most effective in combating this year and how was it done?
As with most municipalities, and due to the current economic climate, we witnessed a slight increase in some property crimes within the city. With this, and thanks to the teamwork involved between the various units of the department, and due to the tremendous amount of volunteers in our neighborhood watch programs, our investigations unit cleared a substantial amount of these property crimes.

Are gangs a major factor in crime in Berwyn? What is the city doing to combat gangs in the future?
I would say, no, not a major factor. But, as we have communicated to the community, we do have a gang element as do most small, mid-size or larger cities. The cornerstone of our gang and drug enforcement strategies centers on community involvement, information exchange between our surrounding law enforcement agencies and the task forces we work hand-in-hand with, and especially the assertive enforcement actions that we take with a zero-tolerance approach against those who are involved in gang- or drug-related crimes. As a department, we have been very successful in suppressing this element and we will continue to promote our prevention and awareness programs to our community.

What would you like to see in terms of department growth in 2013?
As a department we will continue to grow and build on our current community- and school-based programs and initiatives. We will continue to work together with the community and focus our efforts to reduce crime and combat those who compromise the safety and quality of life of our community.

In December, seven of our new police officers completed their field-training program and are now on the streets serving and protecting our community. And we have two more new police officers scheduled to start the academy in January of 2013. We are in the process of finalizing the guidelines and establishing the position of School Resource Officer to work with our school districts to teach various educational, prevention and awareness programs to our grade school students.

What are some of the Berwyn Police Department's biggest issues for the coming year?
One of the biggest issues we face that is affecting most aspects of present-term and long-term policing involves department funding. Another challenge which has impacted all government and law enforcement services is the reduction in state and federal funding, especially through the COPS grant programs. The biggest responsibility we have as administrators is being financially responsible to the city. With the economic shortfalls and diminishing budgets, we are continuously reviewing and searching for ways to reduce costs while providing the most cost-effective and proficient police services to the city of Berwyn.

You have stated in the past that crime is on the decrease in Berwyn. What statistics can you provide?
Based on the totals of index crimes for this year compared to those reported in 2010, there has been an 18 percent decrease in burglaries, 30 percent decrease in aggravated batteries and a 32 percent decrease in robberies. After a record-low year for graffiti in 2011, current totals remain 23 percent below the six-year average.
 
Where do you see the Berwyn Police Department in five years?
In looking beyond capital improvements to our operations and facility, the future here in five years will depend a lot on the financial stability of our economy and the ripple effect it will have on municipal budgets. But, in five years as a department, I still see the Berwyn Police Department as being one of the premier police agencies in our area and the county. Due to the teamwork, dedication and commitment displayed by each and every member of our department, we have maintained a high level of service to the city, the schools and to the community during difficult economic times.