By Karen Haave
Now, minors under the age of 18 will need to be accompanied by an adult during limited times at some events in Monee, according to an ordinance adopted by the village board last week. The ordinance also stipulates only surgical N95 face masks will be allowed to be worn.
Monee Police Chief Scott Koerner said during the July 24 meeting the village did not want an ordinance that would be overly-restrictive. But with Monee Fall Fest a month away and given the problems other communities have experienced recently during summer festivals, officials are looking for options to allow more control during large-scale events there.
“Eighty-five-to-90 percent of our police problems at Fall Fest have involved juveniles in the carnival area,” he said. “There are groups of 10-to-15 or 20 (teens) at a time that come in from 6 or 7 o’clock at night until dark.
“We can get anywhere from eight-or-10 groups like this, and we have to focus most of our police resources on the carnival area to keep them under control, and they still cause us problems with theft, destruction, fighting – with us standing right there. So we felt this ordinance was an effort to nip this in the bud,” he explained.
“And if you read the press and media at all, there have been a lot of communities that have had to shut down their festivals because of these teen bashes that start on the internet. Then you have two, three, 400 teenagers show up at an event, and they take it over because [police departments] don’t have the staffing to stop them. It happens on the streets of Chicago every weekend,” he continued.
“Tinley Park had to shut down their festival last year. Bradley had to shut down theirs a few weeks ago. I believe it was either St. John’s or Crown Point who had to stop theirs on a Saturday night. So this is what we’re trying to do is, we’re trying to enact these rules for certain times and certain events where we can nip it in the bud.
“If you’re under 18 and you’re not accompanied by a guardian or parent, you’re not going to be allowed on festival grounds.”
In addition, no plain black face masks will be allowed. Only certified medical N95 masks may be worn.
The ordinance gives Mayor Therese Bogs the option of setting certain hours, such as from 5 p.m. or specific events, Koerner noted.
Events like Kidsfest or other daytime park district programs would not be impacted, he emphasized. The Monee ordinance copies those “other communities throughout the suburban area are adopting because of these teen ‘Raves’…so we can get out in front of having these big crowds show up on us the night of [Monee’s] 150th Anniversary, when we want to throw a family event.”
In board discussion, Trustee Scott Youdris said he regrets such an ordinance is necessary for public safety and well-being, and noted: “It’s unfortunate this is something we have to consider, but for the sake of safety, I think it’s vital. It’s also unfortunate that – if I’m not mistaken – the majority of the problems are not even from any of the people or kids who are from here in Monee.
“[They’re] from outside of Monee. It’s unfortunate, yeah, but along with that, certain hours, I’m fully in with that.”
Village Trustee Michael Wilson, who serves as a deputy police chief in Cook County, agreed with Youdris and Chief Koerner. Wilson said he has watched crime trends during the past 21 years he has lived in Monee and worked in Cook County.
“I’ve watched the crime just trickle from Cook County into Will,” he said. “All the trends – vehicular hijackings, smash and grabs – they follow the I-57 Corridor. So when one pond dries up, they venture off [to another].”
Wilson said the ban on black masks is important because when teens congregate in large groups, “It’s hard to get an identity when they all have black hoodies and black masks on.
“And a lot of times they feel more empowered to do mischievous acts, like jump on cars or damage vehicles or block the roadway because of their anonymity. You can have all the cameras you want, but all you’re going to get is a black hoodie and a face mask. You feel a little more empowered when you can’t be identified.
“So, in order to keep our residents safe at our events, I would be in favor of that because it’s hard to enforce juvenile activity. It’s not a problem until it is a problem, and then it’s too late. It’s unfortunate we’re here at this point, but I think an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
The village board vote was unanimously in favor of the ordinance.