Police Chief told a Highland Park neighborhood meeting that residents can help investigations by reporting detailed, permanent identifiers when they see suspicious activity and by calling police rather than opening doors to strangers selling alarm systems.

The chief said the most useful details for identifying suspects are features that cannot be changed quickly — tattoos, scars, facial hair, shoes, jewelry and vehicle descriptions — and urged residents not to approach suspects. “I don't want anyone approaching anybody and, you know, jeopardizing your safety,” the chief said.

Why it matters: brief or generic descriptions such as “wearing all black” make follow-up identification difficult, the chief said. Permanent or semi-permanent identifiers help officers locate and identify people from a distance without placing residents or officers at risk.

At the meeting the chief described recent reports of people canvassing neighborhoods late at night and very early in the morning claiming to sell alarm systems. He said some of the door-to-door visits were captured on residents’ Ring cameras and that the department is treating those contacts as suspicious because of timing, patterns and behaviors observed. “If you feel like something's just not right, don't hesitate to call us,” the chief said.

He listed the kinds of details residents should report if safe to obtain them: description of clothing with brand markings, head coverings, visible scars or tattoos, facial hair, jewelry, shoes, mode of transportation and, when available without putting anyone at risk, license-plate information. The chief cautioned residents not to linger to obtain a plate if doing so would put them in harm's way.

The chief also noted officers consider whether gloves or other items were used that could affect forensic evidence collection, and reminded the public that information such as weapon type or distinguishing grips on pistols can be relevant when reporting violent crimes.

The meeting included clarifying back-and-forth with residents about how the department will respond to calls about suspicious salespeople; the chief said officers will check and identify whether the visitors are legitimate company representatives or criminal actors, and that the department prefers residents call so officers can respond quickly if there is wrongdoing.

Ending: The chief closed the segment by asking residents to report suspicious door-to-door activity and to prioritize safety: note and report distinguishing, hard-to-change features from a safe distance rather than approaching or confronting strangers.