Joliet to hold town meeting on Des Plaines River deaths

The city of Joliet plans a town hall meeting this month on Des Plaines River deaths and efforts underway to prevent river suicides.

The meeting is planned for 7 p.m. on June 26 at the Bicentennial Park theater building.

The park itself is along the Des Plaines River, which has been the scene of discoveries of missing persons and occasional water rescues of people who fall or jump into the river.

Joliet Police Chief William Evans noted concerns about river deaths “is something that our community has voiced. We want to give people as many answers as we can.”

The town hall meeting will come two months after the most recent Des Plaines River tragedy on April 19, when the body of Robert Long, 37, was pulled from the river eight days after he was last seen by his mother.

“What we’d like to do at this town hall meeting is explain to the community what we’re doing and what we’d like to do concerning the river walk,” Evans said.

The city has already installed cameras along the walkway that borders the river and is looking at potential new technology that could trigger alarms when people get too close to the river.

Another goal of the meeting, Evans said, is to address rumors that people being pulled out of the river in recent years met their deaths through foul play.

“There have been some rumors that people have been killed and thrown into the river,” Evans said. “Our toxicology reports and autopsies that have been done don’t support that.”

Representatives from the police department and fire department will be among those at the town hall forum to meet with residents.

The matter was a topic of discussion at the City Council meeting on Tuesday.

Councilman Joe Clement, who heads the council’s Public Safety Committee, mentioned the upcoming town hall forum as he discussed measures the city is taking to increase safety and prevent river suicides.

Joliet is considering posting signs along the river walk advising suicide-prone individuals of a phone number they can call for help, Clement said. A similar sign program has been used in Naperville with some success, he said.

The city has eight cameras along the river walks now and plans to add four more, Clement said.