North Cook News

Thomas Weitzel, former Police Chief of Riverside, Illinois, said that most police officers are embedded in the communities they serve, attending the same schools and churches as residents. He made these remarks during an interview on the Prairie State Wire Podcast.

"You know, police officers, they're stop. We're not bad people," said Weitzel. "These officers, you know, in most cases, they're your neighbors. They play softball, their kids play softball with your kids. Baseball, they go to the same church as you. Most of the police agencies have their officers leave in the community, or at least. Like a five mile radius so the officers are embedded in the communities."

According to KSBY News, Illinois has seen a growing emphasis on community policing and local officer residency. Cities like Rockford have launched initiatives that embed officers in neighborhood homes to build trust and improve accountability. These efforts reflect broader state and national trends aimed at fostering stronger community-officer relationships through local engagement and residency programs.

A 2022 survey by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police revealed that only about 18% of Illinois law enforcement agencies require officers to live in the communities they serve. Meanwhile, 42% report having a residency preference but no mandate. This indicates that most agencies in the state lack strict residency requirements for officers.

Research cited by the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy shows that jurisdictions in Illinois with more resident officers and robust community policing programs report a 61% increase in resident satisfaction with police crime prevention efforts compared to areas without such initiatives. However, overall crime rates may not decline immediately as a result.

According to Patch, Weitzel served as Riverside's Chief of Police for 13 years and was recognized for implementing community engagement programs, including public forums and youth outreach. Weitzel remains an advocate for building trust through neighborhood-based policing strategies.