2021 Police Annual Report_v5 (1)

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7TH ANNUAL TEEN CITIZEN’S POLICE ACADEMY

ORLAND SQUARE MALL YOUTH SUPERVISION PROGRAM

TEEN CITIZENS’ POLICE ACADEMY

In 2021, the Orland Park Police Department held its Fifth Teen Citizen’s Police Academy. Twenty-three (23) local teenagers participated in the two-day, 16 hour course. The training concluded with the teens measuring their judgment, timing and accuracy in a Use of Force simulator.

On March 12, 2021, the Orland Square Mall, in collaboration with the Orland Park Police Department, implemented their new policy regarding youth supervision. This policy coincides with most other major retail outlets in the area, and parts of the country. Under this program, all visitors under the age of 18 must be accompanied, at all times, by a parent or adult, over the age of 21, after 3 p.m. on every Friday or Saturday. Proof of age will be required for the youth or adult supervisor. Anyone lacking acceptable identification, or failing to comply with the Youth Supervision Program, will be asked to leave the property. The identification must include a photograph and date of birth. Acceptable ID’s include a state- issued Driver’s License/Identification Card, military ID, school ID or passport. Anyone without an acceptable ID will be denied entry. The Orland Park Police Department increased officer staffing at the mall on Friday and Saturday to facilitate this new program. We continue to maintain these higher staffing numbers for these two days. Our officers provide immediate support to Mall Security staff when encountering the need for clarification, as well as violators of the policy who refuse to adhere to the mall directive. Since the implementation of the program there have been some rare instances in which subjects refused to leave the property and were subsequently arrested and charged. However, the vast majority of the public have had a positive response and see an improvement. Since beginning this program there has been a 3% sales receipt increase throughout the mall and a 5.5% increase in the time spent by customers shopping in the mall. Overall there has been an 11% decrease in Retail Thefts in our town and most of this can be attributed to the Orland Square Mall Youth Supervision Program.