Eagle Eye Watch Program
The Rockford Park District Police are asking residents who live around a neighborhood park to keep an eye on activities and report any suspicious activity at once. Be alert and report vandalism, safety hazards, fires, crime, and undesirable activities occurring in your neighborhood park.
You are asked to be our eyes and ears, take responsibility for your own and your neighbors' security, and know and work with the Park Police to protect your neighborhood, your parks, and most important - your children!
With everyone watching, vandalism and criminal activities won't stand a chance in our parks! We encourage you to participate, and we'd be happy to meet with you or your neighborhood association to talk about what to look for and how you can help.
What to look for...
All that is needed are your eyes, your ears, a little of your time, and a lot of caring about the well being of your park.
Criminals are aware of those areas being watched by people taking an active role in a crime prevention program, such as Eagle Eye Park Watch. These criminals knowing that residents are alert and willing to report their activities to the police are less likely to operate in these areas. Together, we can drive undesirable activities out of our parks.
Sex Offenders and Child Predators
Sex offenders and child predators know where to find children to victimize, often children are playing unsupervised at their neighborhood park. Most children, while playing, are not aware of the dangers around them. It is up to us to recognize and report all suspicious persons and vehicles hanging around children in the parks. Don't be afraid to report anything that doesn't "look right" to you - your instincts are usually right. The Park Police would rather check out the "wrong" person than to have to tell a parent their child is missing.
Vehicle Burglaries
Remember, when you park your vehicle, put valuables in the trunk and lock your doors!
Burglary to vehicles is the most frequent property crime in the parks. Watch for people "hanging around" parking lots looking into vehicles.
Vandalism
Vandalism is another high incident crime. When park property is damaged, it is your tax dollars that pay for the repairs or to replace the damaged items. It is important that all acts of vandalism be reported immediately to the Park Police. Watch for things like buildings and signs being spray-painted, trash dumping, vehicles being driven on the grass, and windows or doors being damaged. We'd like to have gang graffiti removed within a day.
Gang-Related Concerns
815.987.8874
Drug and Liquor Violations
The illegal use of liquor and drugs hurts everyone. Whenever you suspect the illegal use of drugs or any use of liquor, report it immediately to the Park Police.
Other things to watch for:
Fires
Fighting or harassment
Misuse of playground equipment
Broken and unsafe equipment
Loose dogs in the park
Littering or garbage dumping
Violation of park closing hours
Crime Reporting
Report the crime immediately! - Just a five minute delay means the chances of catching the perpetrator drops by almost half.
Keep calm
Speak clearly and slowly
Give a complete description of the suspect
Give a complete description of the vehicle (make, model, license plate)
Do not hang up the phone until told to do so
When describing a person, try to remember the following facts:
Male or Female
Race
Clothing
Approximate Age
Height
Weight
Hair Color
Unusual characteristics
Weapon involved
Which direction he/she went