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Dolton police chief announces new lobby hours, security system and says vehicle thefts are down
Summary
At a village meeting, Dolton Police Chief Chapman announced the station’s customer-service hours have changed to 3 a.m.–8 p.m. weekdays, described a new camera-and-intercom system monitored by dispatch, recognized a departing detective, and reported a decline in motor-vehicle thefts from about 25% to roughly 9% since his arrival.
Dolton Police Chief Chapman told residents at a village meeting that the police station’s customer-service window will now be open from 3:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and that an intercom-and-camera system has been installed so dispatch can see and speak with visitors after hours and summon an officer if needed.
Chapman said the change was made to improve efficiency and reduce overtime. “Our new hours are from 3:00 in the morning until 8:00 p.m. in the evening, Monday through Friday,” Chapman said. He asked residents to pass the information to neighbors and invited feedback, saying procedures can be adjusted if problems arise.
The camera-and-intercom setup connects the lobby to the department dispatch center, Chapman said; dispatchers can view the lobby even when a visitor does not press the button and will notify an on-duty officer if they see an emergency. He also noted that when a detainee is in lockup, a sworn officer is required to be present for legal compliance, though that officer will not staff the customer-service window.
Chapman recognized Detective Rocky, who is leaving the department for another agency. He thanked Rocky for his service and asked attendees to acknowledge him; Rocky received applause. The transcript did not include a last name for the detective.
Chapman reported progress on crime reporting and trends since he joined the department seven months earlier. “Motor vehicle theft was up like 25% when I got here. Now, we're down to about just about 9%,” he said, crediting both department strategies and resident cooperation for the decline. Chapman said the department has resumed publicly reporting crime statistics so they can be forwarded to the FBI through the Illinois State Police to meet reporting requirements.
Noting Dolton’s location near an expressway, Chapman said the village faces traffic-related vulnerability points but that violent crime levels are not as severe as they might be. He emphasized community policing and told residents, “We can't arrest our way out of crime,” urging collaboration among residents, businesses and other stakeholders.
Chapman invited residents with questions or concerns to speak with him after the meeting and thanked the community for its cooperation. The remarks ended with applause.
