Police chief credits holiday business patrols for theft prevention; department wins first meritorious reaccreditation

The police chief told the board the department started extra "business patrols" on Black Friday and will run heightened patrols through the holiday season to provide a larger uniformed presence in the business district and help deter thefts. "We started our business patrols, uh, Friday, Black Friday, and we run extra business patrols through the holidays just to, uh, give a better presence in the business district," the police chief said.

The chief also praised the street department for clearing snow, saying Munster's roads were "almost dry" compared with neighboring communities. He highlighted community outreach achievements: the department placed No. 1 in its population category for National Night Out and plans to discuss the recognition on a radio show. "Sergeant Bryce works very hard on our national night out... and we took number one," the chief said.

On accreditation, the chief credited staff member Craig Corey with coordinating the process and said the department received a meritorious reaccreditation — which the chief characterized as a first-time distinction for the department. "It's never run smoother than with Craig," he said, noting that the reaccreditation included a meritorious designation.

Why it matters: enhanced patrols and accreditation are used by the department to reassure businesses and residents about public safety and professional standards. The board heard the report during its regular meeting and did not take further action on these items beyond the presentation.

The police chief's remarks covered operational shifts (holiday patrols), community recognition (National Night Out ranking), and an internal accreditation milestone. The board did not record any formal vote tied to these announcements during the discussion.

The next scheduled meeting was discussed later in the agenda; no follow-up action on the accreditation or patrol plan was recorded in the transcript.