Village Board Backs Police Department With Resolution

ORLAND PARK, IL — The death of George Floyd has sparked protests across the country and calls to "defund police" in recent weeks, but elected officials in Orland Park have instead passed a resolution in support of their police department. June 2020 in Orland Park is now officially "Police Recognition Month."

The Orland Park Police Department, the resolution that passed unanimously at Monday night's village board meeting states, "has an exemplary record of engagement with the Village community members" and "an outstanding and recognized record of police service and being on the front lines of crime prevention, investigations, and arrests."

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Specific examples stated by the resolution are their Coffee with a Cop and Citizens Police Academy events.

On Friday, demonstrators held a protest in Orland they said was "a call to bring immediate change to police departments."

Orland Park trustees praised Orland Park police, from Trustee Dan Calandriello calling them the best police department in the nation to Trustee William Healy saying he feels bad "for other suburbs."

"Why can't they have a police department like this?"

Trustee Jim Dodge said the village should "continue to do anything we can to make sure they are properly funded."

The resolution includes statistics that show a low crime rate in Orland Park and states that is a result of the police department being "effective, efficient and focused on public service."