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Grayslake chief outlines patrol activity for Hainesville, residents press for more visible presence and safer crossings
Summary
Grayslake Police Chief Myra told Hainesville trustees about department activity in 2024 and explained the village's policing contract; residents asked for more visible patrols, better crossing enforcement and community interactions.
Grayslake Police Chief Myra addressed the Hainesville Board of Trustees on March 25 to explain the police services agreement, clarify operational expectations and present 2024 activity statistics. Residents and trustees asked for small operational changes to increase perceived presence and pedestrian safety.
Chief Myra explained that the intergovernmental policing agreement has no minimum hourly requirement specifying how long an officer must remain in Hainesville, but that the department tracks response and priority-call metrics and uses benchmarks for shift evaluations. She said the Grayslake department treats Hainesville residents the same as Grayslake residents and that operational staffing must remain flexible to respond to large incidents.
“The police services agreement between the village of Grayslake and the building does not include an hourly restriction on how long an officer stays in the village of Gainesville,” the chief said in explaining how officers are deployed. She said large incidents can draw officers off regular patrols and cited a September 2024 high-speed crash involving in-custody detainees that required roughly 17 officers and extended handling time.
Key figures presented - 6,279 incidents in the jurisdiction during 2024 - 336 case reports authored - 217 traffic stops and 116 crash reports - 56 arrests reported
Resident concerns and staff responses Residents asked for more visible acknowledgement from passing officers (a wave or nod), and for officers to position themselves at a frequently used Haynesville Road pedestrian crossing during morning commute hours. One resident volunteered to operate the pedestrian crossing button to assist enforcement efforts. The chief agreed to consider those requests and noted that officers sometimes are unavailable because of high-priority calls.
Crosswalks and enforcement Trustees also raised the specific crossing at Haynesville Road and suggested relocating patrol parking to increase visibility. The chief encouraged residents to report concerns and noted that technologies such as Ring doorbell recordings have helped confirm officer checks during house-watch patrols.
What’s next The police department offered to provide additional documentation of patrol activity on request and the board asked the chief and village staff to explore tactical changes—parking location for patrol cars, timed enforcement at the Haynesville Road crossing and communication about house-watch checks—to increase resident confidence.
