Police Out In Force Serving Arrest Warrants In South Suburbs
UPDATED 07/29/11 11:06 a.m.
ORLAND HILLS, Ill. (CBS) -- Police in the southern suburbs and elsewhere in the state were out in force Friday morning, trying to round up about 1,000 wanted men and women and checking up on sex offenders.
As CBS 2's Susanna Song reports, about 300 officers went out at 5 a.m., and were still working on the operation six hours later.
Illinois State Police Sgt. Wayne Ladd and his team of officers from Orland Hills and Tinley Park went into position to make an arrest at a home where they believed a man wanted for driving with a revoked license lived.
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But no one came to the door, and after a thorough check of the backyard, a neighbor confirmed the man no longer lives at the home.
"He probably uses multiple addresses," Ladd said. "This is the last current one that he had, which I think showed that he used it in 2011, but he's probably out and to another area, so it's just a matter of finding him."
Some warrants were for offenses as simple as a missed traffic court date, but many were for serious and sometimes violent felonies such as aggravated battery, gun charges, or in the case of one stop in Markham, retail theft.
"I talked to the occupants of the residents. He admitted they were family members of the subject, but have not seen him lately. They did allow us to search throughout the residence and make sure no one was hiding their residence," said Illinois State Police Trooper Jeff File.
The effort is intended to help suburbs clear up many of the arrest warrants that sometimes get put on the backburner, as police departments are forced to do more with less money.
"On any given day, there are individuals that don't show up for their court date, or who have committed crimes and haven't been apprehended, and warrants are issued, and we need to go after these individuals and let them know that you're not going to skirt the justice system," said Orland Hills police Chief Tom Scully.
The officers represent about 65 south suburban police departments, and Chicago Police.
In addition to the arrest warrants being served, the Illinois Department of Corrections conducted compliance checks in Harvey, and the Illinois Attorney General's Office conducted sex offender registration checks throughout south Cook County.
"For the most part, people are fairly compliant with our requests," Sgt. Ladd said.
CBS 2 went to three different homes in Orland Hills with Sgt. Ladd, and unfortunately, police had no luck at any of the homes.
"He doesn't live here anymore. She says she's been getting mail for him constantly, and she's never met him; never been involved with him at all," Ladd said.
The one-day sweep continued as of 11 a.m.
