Spring is approaching and with the warmer weather, there are some things to be aware of. As the weather warms, more kids will be out to enjoy the warmth and play with their friends. Please use caution when driving especially through the residential streets. Be aware of kids or pets running out from in between parked vehicles. The season also brings those who wish to take advantage of unsuspecting residents and members of the elderly community. Persons passing themselves off as legitimate service providers such as contractors, solicitors, or utilities workers use these pretexts to commit ruse burglaries or fraud. Remember that the Village does not allow solicitors to conduct business without being vetted and having received a permit to conduct their work. If you have anyone that comes to your door as a solicitor or as a worker that you cannot identify, please do not open your doors for them and contact police. A police officer will be sent to the area to check on the person and ensure that they are who they say they are and hold the appropriate permit to work.

                Our residents will begin to see the new addition to our patrol division in the month of May. The Summit Police will be deploying our newest officer in the form of a trained police K9. This new asset will be patrolling the community with his handler and partner, Officer Correa, a three-and-a-half-year veteran of the department. Both will be attending their specialty training in March and April before assuming their local duties. We hope to introduce the community to our new four-legged officer upon their return.

                The police department is continuing to explore new and innovative ways to provide protective services to the village. As these concepts become reality, we will inform the community of the implementation of new strategies and technology that will enable our officers to better serve the people of Summit.

                As always, I would like to thank you for your ongoing support, we can only succeed if we work as a partnership with the community.

Respectfully,

Mel Ortiz                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Interim Chief of Police