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September 20, 2022

The City of Highland Park announces the launch of its body-worn camera (BWC) program throughout the Police Department. Body-worn cameras provide the City with increased tools to collect data, document encounters with members of the public, assist in investigations, and enhance training opportunities. The BWC program augments the Police Department’s existing use of in-car cameras and integrates with Taser activations. 

The City has leased the integrated BWC system from Axon Enterprises, Inc. at a total cost of $760,240 for a five-year lease. The City’s BWC implementation comes two and a half years prior to the State of Illinois requirement that all uniformed police officers wear body cameras by January 1, 2025. Prior to implementation of the program, a team consisting of City staff from key departments and divisions researched and tested systems for a four month period. The BWC program was discussed at length with community stakeholders as part of the 2021 Police Department strategic planning process, which was ultimately presented to City Council in December 2021. Community members also expressed interest in a BWC program following national discussions surrounding law enforcement engagement with communities of color in 2020.

According to Illinois law, officers’ BWC must be turned on at all times when an officer is in uniform and responding to calls for service or engaged in law-enforcement related activities while on duty. Although cameras are always on, recording will be activated by the officer, and/or some of the camera’s automatic recording capabilities. The camera will save 30 seconds of video without audio prior to activation. Individuals should assume that an officer’s camera is recording when engaging with the police department. Under Illinois law, individuals may request that an officer turn off their camera while making a report, but it is at the officer’s discretion to do so, based upon safety considerations and the specific circumstances of that call.

See solar power in action with the Illinois Solar Tour! On Saturday, Sept. 24, from 10 AM - 3 PM, explore ten unique locations throughout Highland Park that have implemented solar technologies - nine in-person facility tours and one virtual tour featuring residential and government sites utilizing solar.

Visit cityhpil.com/solar to learn more about the City's community solar program. Visit cityhpil.com/permits to learn about solar applications and permitting for your home or business.

Professionals from our community are here to help you and your family. Call 211, visit 211LakeCounty.org, or text your zip code to 898211 and a trained navigator will connect you to resources and services that fit your needs.

Profesionales de nuestra comunidad estan aquí para ayudar a usted y su familiar. Llame 211, vaya a 211LakeCounty.org, o texto su código postal al 898211 y un navegador capacitado lo conectará a los recursos y servicios que se adapten a sus necesidades.

Fire hydrant painting is now underway. The preparation and painting process takes approximately 4-6 weeks, weather permitting, and includes the following steps:

1. Protecting and covering the surrounding area around each hydrant.
2. Sandblasting each hydrant using an environmentally safe blasting aggregate to remove deteriorated layers of paint and rust.
3. Priming each hydrant (the prime coat will look pinkish and must fully dry before a final coat is applied).
4. Applying a high-quality, high-performance red urethane paint, which will provide a protective coating against any chipping, fading, or peeling.

Public Works operates and maintains approximately 1,775 fire hydrants located throughout the City as part of the overall water distribution system. This routine painting process helps fire hydrants last longer, improves operability and visibility, and makes them more aesthetically pleasing. This year, 420 hydrants will be painted as part of this maintenance process.

Please call the Public Works Department at 847.432.0807 with any additional questions.

It's National Voter Registration Day! If you’ve recently moved, turned 18, or changed your name, you may not be #VoteReady this fall. Moreover, as many as 1 in 4 eligible Americans are not registered to vote or don’t know if they are registered. Fortunately, it's easy to check your voter registration status in Illinois! Just visit ova.elections.il.gov to confirm your registration or register to vote online. As a reminder, the Lake County Clerk's website includes a wealth of information for voters at LakeVoterPower.info.