Police News, Fire News, and other Safety-Related News
The City of St. Charles is a CALEA Nationally Accredited Law Enforcement Agency. Annually, the Department releases a summary of internal investigations from the prior year. During 2021, the Department conducted four (4) internal affairs investigations.
The St. Charles Police Department once again has been awarded National Accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). CALEA maintains professional standards for public safety to improve the delivery of services by participating law enforcement agencies. The St. Charles Police Department first achieved its accredited status in 1989, when it became one of the first agencies in the State of Illinois to become Nationally Accredited.
While tornadoes may occur anytime of the year, they are most likely in April, May, and June. Over half of all tornados occur between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., or on hot and humid days. One of the most important things you can do to prevent being injured in a tornado is to be alert to the onset of severe weather and reach shelter in time. The safest place to be during a tornado is in a basement, or in a small interior room like a closet or bathroom, away from outside walls and windows.
When police officers or firefighters respond to a call and arrive at the scene, they often find that the situation requires additional professional assistance. Sometimes it’s clear that crisis intervention services for traumatized victims, mental illness, or other issues are desperately needed. That’s when the expertise of Sandra Rincon, the St. Charles Police Social Worker comes in.
The St. Charles Police Department wanted to share the important tenets they work under every day to illustrate who they are as a Department and clarify how they practice law enforcement in our community. Read the Department's Commitment to the Community here www.stcharlesil.gov/our-commitment-community
The City of St. Charles recently passed an ordinance which increased the number of parking spaces dedicated specifically for ride share vehicles working around the busy downtown district on the weekends. Three parking spaces along the 0-99 block of North 3rd Street as well as two designated spaces on the southeast corner of North 3rd Street and Cedar Street are reserved for rideshare operators actively working Thursday through Saturday nights, from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. New signage outlines the parking restrictions.
Kane County offers the CodeRED® Emergency Telephone Notification System. The system allows County officials to telephone targeted areas or the entire County if an emergency requires immediate action such as a boil water order, missing child alert or evacuation notice. CodeRED® is capable of dialing 50,000 phone numbers per hour and delivers a recorded message.
Coordinated student safety plans developed collaboratively by the St. Charles Police Department, St. Charles Fire Department and St. Charles Community Unit School District 303 officials are in place to keep students safe when they are in school.
The St. Charles Police Department has designated two parking spots outside the police station at 1515 W. Main Street to safely conduct internet purchase transactions and child custody exchanges. The spots are indicated with signage. The lobby of the police station will continue to serve as a safe place for conducting these transactions as well.
Both the lobby and parking spots are monitored by security cameras, and their close proximity to police personnel means residents can meet there with confidence.
Flashing Pedestrian Signs are installed at crosswalks where there is no traffic light to stop traffic and give pedestrians a Walk Sign to cross the street. When pedestrians are ready to cross, they push a button that activates flashing orange lights around the sign.
In St. Charles, these signs are installed at three locations:
