2020 Police Department Annual Report

more are highlighted throughout the report.

We are very pleased to report that the categories of index crime (murder, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault and battery, burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft and arson) which are reported to the FBI dropped again by 29% from 974 index crimes in 2019 to 691 in 2020 which followed a drop of 6% from 2018 to 2019. This is the fourth straight year that we have seen significant decreases in index crime and it is the LOWEST NUMBER OF INDEX CRIMES IN ORLAND PARK IN 26 YEARS since 1994. Much of the reduction in thefts can be directly contributed to the global pandemic, however, the substantial decline of burglaries, while looting and burning was taking place regionally, is attributable to the hard work and diligence of the Department. The number of reported burglaries in 2020 were the lowest in 26 years. Violent crime also fell in 2020, with no reported homicides or rapes when compared with 2019. The only concern was the increased number of attacks on the officers and household members during this turbulent year of quarantine. Furthermore, our clearance rates on the violent crimes that occurred during the year far surpassed the FBI’s calculated National and Midwest Clearance averages. As a result of the outstanding proactive work of the men and women of the Department, the Village of Orland Park was named the Safest City in Illinois (https://www.safety.com/ public/places/safest-cities-in-illinois/) in 2020. In conclusion, I would like to thank all the members of the Department for a job well done. Secondly, a special thank you to all the citizens that sent letters of appreciation, gift cards and bakery goods to the Department throughout the year. These acts of kindness lifted the spirits of the staff while trying to navigate these unchartered waters. Lastly, thank you to our elected officials for your continuous and steadfast support to ensure that the Orland Park Police Department has the resources to address the public safety needs of our beloved community.

Mayor Pekau, Trustees, Village Manager and the Residents of Orland Park,

Unprecedented, life altering, challenging and uncertainty are words that come to mind when trying to describe and define 2020. The global pandemic, where over 550,000 Americans lost their lives to COVID-19, coupled with civil unrest occurring regionally after the tragic death of George Floyd had challenged the men and women of the Orland Park Police Department like no other. The Department, like everyone else, had to adjust procedures, often times on a daily basis, to safeguard our most valuable asset, our employees, while never wavering in our commitment in our core mission of protecting the lives of the residents, visitors and businesses of Orland Park. Despite the considerable risk of contracting COVID-19, our resilient employees continued to serve the Village of Orland Park with professionalism and dedication day in and day out. Even without the global pandemic and the civil unrest, the department saw significant change in 2020 with Chief Timothy J. McCarthy retiring after 26 years of honorable service along with five other employees. The 2020 Annual Report provides a summary of the evidence, despite the ever evolving challenges that were faced throughout the year, that the men and women of the Orland Park Police Department effectively safeguarded the community. Provided below are just a few noteworthy accomplishments of the Orland Park Police Department in 2020, much

Sincerely,

Joseph P. Mitchell Chief of Police

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