 |
Police Chief Casstevens
|
Buffalo Grove Police Chief, Steve Casstevens,
issued a statement regarding the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25.
In addition to his role as Buffalo Grove Police Chief, Casstevens is president
of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
The statement was released by the Buffalo
Grove Police Department:
To the citizens of Buffalo Grove, thank you
for the opportunity to serve you and address your concerns regarding the recent
week’s events surrounding the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
First and foremost, my thoughts, prayers, and
condolences are with the entire Floyd family. Mr. Floyd died at the hands of a
law enforcement officer who was sworn to protect. My officers have all viewed
the video and every single one of them is outraged and disgusted with the
disregard for life and dignity that played out on that Minneapolis street.
Let me be clear: we condemn this act. I have
stated numerous times over the past week to countless media outlets, “If
there’s any officer who isn’t disgusted by this video, they should turn in
their badge.”
In regard to the men and women of the Buffalo
Grove Police Department, I can assure you personally and professionally that
this department holds all lives as sacred. Every officer on this police
department has signed the Law Enforcement Oath of Honor promulgated by the
International Association of Chiefs of Police, which reads:
• On my honor, I will never betray my
integrity, my character, or the public trust.
• I will always have the courage to hold
myself and others accountable for our actions.
• I will always maintain the highest ethical
standards and uphold the values of my community and the agency I serve.
In 2018, every officer signed a document of
the Ten Shared Principles between Illinois law enforcement and the Illinois
NAACP. This document, along with a signed Oath of Office, is framed and on
display in our hallway. The document discusses the basic principles of dignity,
fairness, respect, and the tenets of procedural justice and police legitimacy.
Officers of the Buffalo
Grove Police Department are professional and receive annual training on use of
force. Kneeling on a person’s neck is never, and has never been, an appropriate
use of force tactic. In fact, as our profession has progressed over the years,
our officers have trained even more vigorously on the process of de- escalation
in conjunction with the training that addresses use of force.
This means our goal is to approach, listen,
understand, and work to diffuse a situation so that use of force is rarely
necessary. We are here to serve and protect, but I pledge to you that we will
always perform that duty with dignity, respect, tolerance, and fairness.
My command staff and I welcome any inquiry
into our policies and procedures. We hire the best. We train the best. We
promote the best. We are committed to transparency in pattern and practice of
our profession and, again, I offer you my personal assurance that the kind of
assault on life, liberty, and dignity that occurred in Minneapolis is not part
of the fabric of this community.
From the Police Reports
Reports
are public record that report police activity. They do not indicate guilt of
any individual.
Single-car crash leads to five charges – A Rolling Meadows man was charged with driving
under the influence, driving under the influence in excess of a blood alcohol
content (BAC) of .08, operating a motor vehicle without insurance, failure to
reduce speed to avoid a crash and damaging village property, after a single-car
crash on Raupp Boulevard. The man, Gary Newin, told police he was lost and made
a wrong turn. According to police reports he also told officers he had been
drinking for six hours, which likely contributed to a BAC of .238. The legal
BAC limit in Illinois is .08.
He is scheduled to
appear in Lake County court in July 8.
Suspicious purchase probed – An order for 1,500 USB flash drives with a value of $11,425 is being
investigated by Buffalo Grove Police after they were alerted to the potential
fraud by a local business. Multiple addresses for invoicing, shipping and
communications were used. The business owner told police that they are not out
of any money and is working with the business’ bank. And if you’re wondering,
that would be a little more than $7.61 per drive.
Reference checks needed? – A Buffalo Grove woman uploaded her resume on CareerBuilders.com and
received a job offer at an alleged healthcare firm. But it does not appear to
be a dream job. Instead, she was instructed to download an app and interact
with a representative from the firm. She was also instructed to submit a copy
of her driver’s license, a current utility board and her phone number and she
would hear about her application in 72 hours.
She did hear from the
alleged firm and was told she would receive a package, which she did. In it were among other things, a check for
$2,500. Police reports indicate that the woman was instructed to purchase
office supplies, including a laptop computer. The woman told police she did not
feel “comfortable” receiving the check and making the purchases. Police
suggested she contact the fraud department at Career Builder.
Big bang not a hare-raising issue – Police were summoned to an apartment building in the 900 block of
south Buffalo Grove to investigate a suspicious noise. Police reports note that
the woman who called said the noise apparently came from the apartment next to
hers and she knew the resident was not at home. Police received permission to
enter the apartment but did not find the source of the noise. Police reports do
note, however, that officers found “…two bunny rabbits in the back bedroom.”
The report noted that the bunnies “appeared to be fine but were moving around.”
Which is sorely needed good news.
Community News
Village Board set to amend gubernatorial order
The
Village Board will have a special meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, June 1
(tonight) during which it is expected it will amend Gov. JB Pritzker’s
executive shelter inside order which was issued March 20. That order was
originally set to run through April 30, but on April 23 it was extended until
the end of May.
On
Thursday, May 28, Pritzker lifted restrictions allowing businesses, including
restaurants, limited operation.
Village
Board President Beverly Sussman had previously issued executive orders that
concurred with those issued by Pritzker’s.
Tonight’s
action, if passed, will allow restaurants to serve food and alcohol in outdoor
seating areas.
The
order does not remove any of the requirements for face coverings.
Access
to the Board meeting is available at this link or by calling (312) 626 6799 and using webinar ID:810
0290 9550
Village Hall expands services
Services have been expanded
at the Buffalo Grove Village Hall, 50 Raup Blvd.. An outside walk-up window at
the main entrance is now available so residents can conduct business that could
not otherwise be provided online or over the phone.
The village will also offer
special hours for vulnerable residents and senior citizens from 9:30 until
11a.m. inside Village Hall. All other services will be by appointment only by
calling (847) 459-2500.
Overnight parking enforcement resumes
Buffalo Grove Police will
resume enforcement of overnight parking restrictions beginning June 1. In
accordance with ordinance BG-11-1308, restrictions apply to all Buffalo Grove
Village streets between 2:00 and 6:00 a.m.
Signs alerting residents to
the restrictions are located throughout the Village on streets leading into
residential areas.
Residents who need to park a
vehicle on the street during these overnight hours should visit frontlinepss.com/buffalogrove to submit their request.
Details pertaining to this ordinance can be located at
vbg.org/overnightparkingcode
Indian Trails Library resumes limited service
Although
the building remains closed, the Indian Trails Library has resumed drive-up
service. The Library’s drive-up window is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for items
that have been on hold. Patrons will need to show their library card and must
wear a mask or face covering to receive materials.
The
Library is looking to expand services and hours the week of June 8.
The
Library is also putting returned materials in quarantine for seven days.
Additional information is available at indiantrails.org or by phone at
(847) 459-4100.
Restrictions eased on the links
As the state moves
into Phase 3 or “Restore Illinois,” restrictions at Buffalo Grove’s two golf
courses have been reduced
Groups will now be able to have up to four
players, and tee-times will be spaced at a minimum of 10 minutes apart. Only
one person will be permitted per golf cart, with the exception of allowing two
people per cart if they are from the same household.
The use of driving
ranges, practice ranges and chipping greens will be permitted at 50-percent
capacity. Pro shops will be open with safety guidelines in place, and halfway
houses will be available for carryout services only. For additional
information, click here.
Got News?
If you have news
about your club, school, church, synagogue or other community organization,
please submit news, information and story ideas to BuffaloGroveNews@Gmail.com. Articles
should include a contact name, email and phone number. Commentary articles are
also welcome. They should be limited to 350 words and should include contact
information as noted above. All submissions may be edited for style, spelling,
and libelous content. Questions about B.G. News & Info. should be sent to
BuffaloGroveNews@Gmail.com.
Subscribe by email
If you want to receive Buffalo Grove
News & Information right to your email box, send your email address to
BuffaloGroveNews@Gmail.com.
