New Safety Measures Planned After Man Photographed Preschool At Main Street Rec Center

GLEN ELLYN, IL — The Glen Ellyn Park District plans to increase safety measures at its preschools after a man was seen photographing activity inside the preschool at Main Street Recreation Center after trying to enter a classroom. Police told Patch no charges were filed in the incident, as the man had been taking photos in a public place as an apparent First Amendment auditor.

The incident, which took place Nov. 3, sparked concern with parents, who are pushing for improved safety protocol.

During the Dec. 9 meeting of the Glen Ellyn Park District's Board, commissioners and parents discussed some of the safety measure under consideration and those that are underway. The park district has gotten quotes about reflective window film to prevent people from seeing inside the school. They are also looking into shatter-resistant window coverings.

Door reinforcements were also installed to help prevent forced entry and annual Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate (ALICE) training was recently approved.

Park District Executive Director Dave Thommes said the preschool being inside the public recreation center presents unique challenges.

“We are very much ‘for’ these changes," Thommes said. "The challenge is that Main Street Rec Center serves about 9,000 people a year.”

He added, That’s a busy, busy building. That presents some challenges.”

Thommes said that since the incident, the park district has had joint meetings with the Glen Ellyn Police Department, the Glen Ellyn Public Library and members of School Districts 41, 87 and 89.

Sabina Horrocks, who has a student at the preschool, was among the parents in attendance at the board meeting.

Horrocks said the incident "scared all of us and I think it scared a lot of the community too. There was a person who…he came into the building, he tried to enter a classroom. When he was denied, he went around and started filming the kids from a window.”

“As a parent, that’s terrifying," she added.

Horrocks suggested taking measures to create a secured entry for the preschool, just as Ackerman SFC has an upper level that only members can access.

She said having visible exterior cameras could reduce trespassing and predatory behavior and other crimes. Horrocks said, "We reported the incident to Glen Ellyn police and they weren’t able to do very much about figuring out who this person was because we didn’t have information on this person. There was limited film or no film and we didn’t even have a license plate, didn’t even have film of the car.”

Horrocks added that she found it "pretty frustrating, as a parent, to hear the Glen Ellyn Police Department had closed the case.

On Monday, Glen Ellyn Deputy Chief Kurt Vavra told Patch the man was an "alleged First Amendment auditor."

"The subject in question committed no crime," Vavra said. "The actions of the individual are equivalent to someone entering the Civic Center which is a public building and open to the public.

Vavra added, "There is no security footage available. There is no ongoing investigation because there were no unlawful acts or allegations of unlawful acts."

Bill Costello, another parent at the meeting, said he had been “let down by the lack of proactive safety measures that we started this school year with.”

Costello asked the park district to provide transparency about estimated costs for the improved safety measures and urged them to let parents know if there are any "gaps in the budget."

Patch submitted a FOIA request to the Village of Glen Ellyn Monday to obtain a police report of the incident.