Police Chief Brad Dixon appeared before the Peoria City Council at its meeting on July 14.
Brad Dison
A letter of intent with Medical Transport of Central Illinois was approved for construction of a police substation and ambulance station at Allen Road and Van Winkle Way to serve as a base for roll calls and report filing. With a public window, residents would have another option to driving downtown. Chief Dixon said pre-shift briefings and intelligence-sharing on the north end of town improve response times, as well.
Councilor Tim Riggenbach discussed recent thefts at Springdale Cemetery and Mausoleum. Replacing metalwork which was removed from the exterior of the 1929 mausoleum and the adjacent building may cost more than $38,000.
He asked Dixon and City Manager Patrick Urich to initiate collaborative discussions and a threat assessment, and he noted a handout with detailed information was distributed to the Council.
Councilor Andre Allen requested a report from Dixon on public safety concerns regarding motorized e-bikes traveling through local neighborhoods, noting some travel at high speeds. The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office recently passed legislation on e-bikes and Allen emphasized the need to discuss the local impact and ways to make the community aware.
On a related note, Councilor Denise Jackson said she observed all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) operating in neighborhoods and requested comprehensive information on existing ATV laws, as well.
Plus, at Jackson’s request, amending the city code on multifamily rental property by adding security provisions was brought forward. Jackson is concerned regarding disruptive behavior at several housing locations. Dixon spoke to number of calls at various locations, as well as residents and visitors citing issues. Request was for onsite security and managers to be present when rental facility tenants share common hallways and other spaces.
On another note, the Councill approved classifying qualified members of the Fire Department as peace officers for investigating fire or explosions suspected to involve arson.
— League of Women Voters of Greater Peoria observers attend and report on local government meetings. Check out https://greaterpeoriail.lwv.org/logoreports