Oak Lawn is using technology to fight crime 

By Joe Boyle 

While there has been a recent increase in crime, Oak Lawn officials want to assure residents that these incidents are being addressed.

Village Manager Tom Phelan made it clear during an Oak Lawn Village Board meeting Tuesday morning that they are working in tandem with the police to solve the recent wave of crimes.

“An incident in District 6 is being investigated,” Phelan said. “There were shots fired but no one was hurt. We do use the police Twitter page to get our information out. But as far as incidents where there were no injuries, we may not get that information out right away.”

Phelan emphasized that they don’t want to increase fear unnecessarily. Certain incidents may still be under investigation. The village manager said they want to make sure that the public is being given up-to-date, accurate information and not rumors.

“We don’t want to inundate people with reports. It’s like the boy crying wolf,” Phelan said. “We will report the results of an investigation. We want people to understand there is not going to be constant communication. We take this seriously. We support the police.”

Trustee Ralph Soch (6th) has been working with Phelan to develop a camera share program that will allow residents to provide information quickly to police when they want to report suspicious behavior.

Soch, whose district was where reports of gun shots were fired recently, said that residents who have installed Ring cameras should use them. Residents can also soon sign up for the camera share program, Soch said.

“We know there Such have been some (crime) instances,” Soch said.

Phelan said a newsletter will go out within the next two weeks with an update of recent police investigations. He added that the website for updated village news and investigations is 95% ready.

The village manager said that the website will be much easier to navigate.

Mayor Terry Vorderer was pleased with that information.

“Thank you for the update on this technology so we can deal with the recent surge in crime activity,” the mayor said. 

In other news, Trustee Alex Olejniczak (2nd) reminded the board and residents that the Blue Ribbon Walk will take place Saturday, June 3, at Lake Shore Park, 9610 E. Shore Drive. The walk is being held to salute first responders.

Participants will gather at about 11 a.m. and the walk will begin at noon. Members of the Oak Lawn Raiders park district football team will provide hot dogs, hamburgers and refreshments before the walk.

This is the ninth year the walk has taken place. Oak Lawn resident Mike Cerf is one of the chief organizers of the event.

“We want to honor the first responders, firefighters, paramedics and our dispatch,” Olejniczak said. “We especially want to honor the police who, unfortunately, have been getting killed. We would just like to see everyone come out and support the police.”

Vorderer proclaimed May as “Motorcycle Awareness Month” and May 23 specifically as Motorcycle Awareness Day.

The mayor also noted that a Memorial Day service will take place at 9 a.m. Monday, May 29, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 9701 S. Brandt Ave.

The annual Memorial Day observance will be held at 11 a.m. on May 29 at the Veterans Memorial at the Village Green, 9427 S. Raymond Ave.

“It is our sacred duty to remember these veterans,” Vorderer said.