Cary Reports Ten Memorial Day Weekend Citations During Enhanced Enforcement

From the Cary Police Department:

The Cary Police Department announces ‘Click It or Ticket’ campaign numbers

[Cary, IL— The Cary Police Department today announced it issued 10 citations during the recent Memorial Day “Click It or Ticket” enforcement period.

“Through the Memorial Day enforcement campaign, we helped make Illinois roads safer and spread the word that seat belts and child safety restraints save lives,” said Deputy Chief Christopher Winkelmann.

While Illinois’ 2022 seat belt compliance rate was 93%, unbelted occupants still account for more than half of those killed in traffic crashes. The “Click It or Ticket” campaign aims to change the behavior of the millions of people who don’t buckle up. Thousands of lives could be saved each year if every vehicle occupant was properly restrained when traveling.

During the enforcement period, the Cary Police Department wrote 4 citations for seat belt violations and took the following additional actions:

  • cellphone violation citations
  • speeding citations

The Illinois “Click It or Ticket” campaign is administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation with federal highway safety funds.

Crystal Lake Reports 36 Memorial Day Weekend Enhanced Enforcement Actions

From the Crystal Lake Police:

Crystal Lake Police Department announces ‘Click It or Ticket’ campaign numbers

Crystal Lake, IL – The Crystal Lake Police Department today announced it issued 36 citations during the recent Memorial Day “Click It or Ticket” enforcement period.

Crystal Lake Police car.

While Illinois’ 2022 seat belt compliance rate was 93%, unbelted occupants still account for more than half of those killed in traffic crashes. The “Click It or Ticket” campaign aims to change the behavior of the millions of people who do not buckle up. Thousands of lives could be saved each year if every vehicle occupant was properly restrained when traveling.

During the enforcement period, the Crystal Lake Police Department wrote 5 citations for seat belt violations and took additional enforcement actions which included the following:

  • 1 arrest for DUI-Alcohol and DUI-BAC over .08
  • 18 citations for Distracted Driving
  • 4 citations for Speeding
  • 2 citations for Improper Lane Usage
  • 2 citations for Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle

The Illinois “Click It or Ticket” campaign is administered by the Illinois Department of
Transportation with federal highway safety funds.

Syverson Reports

From State Senator Dave Syverson:

Senate Week in Review May 29 – June 2, 2023

SPRINGFIELD – It has been one week since the Illinois General Assembly approved a Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget plan, and questions remain on whether it is truly balanced.

In other news, the Illinois Office of the Auditor General has recently released an audit of the Business Interruption Grant (BIG) program, which found several failures with the $585 million initiative.

Illinois Budget Plan Likely Contains Hidden Spending

One week after the General Assembly passed the FY 2024 spending plan, questions remain about whether the budget will truly be balanced at the year’s end. State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Cherry Valley) pointed to hidden spending found throughout the budget that could put the state’s spending well over expected revenues.

One example of possible “phantom” spending in this year’s budget, which also served as a major point of contention during negotiations, is a program solely funded by Illinois taxpayers that provides free healthcare to undocumented immigrants. Illinois is currently the only state in the nation to provide this level of healthcare to noncitizens ages 42 and older.

During budget hearings throughout the year, the Governor’s Administration provided a cost estimate of the program at a whopping $1.1 billion. Despite knowing this estimate, the Majority Party only allocated $550 million to the program in the budget—just half of what it is expected to cost taxpayers. While Democrats claim that they also provided the Governor with rule-making authority to rein in the ballooning program, Sen. Syverson said it is difficult to believe that a rule change will be able to reduce the costs by $550 million, especially after the Governor and the Majority Party have made it clear they would not be willing to cut existing enrollees from the program.

Another example of hidden spending is the anticipation of a new AFSCME contract, which the Governor is expected to agree to, at an additional cost of hundreds of millions of dollars. Funding for this new contract for thousands of state employees was conveniently left out of the budget, said Sen. Syverson.

With just a $100 million surplus in the legislatively approved FY 2024 budget plan, Sen. Syverson said it is doubtful that the minimal surplus will be enough to cover the true costs of the state.

The FY 2024 budget has been touted throughout the week by the Governor, but still awaits his signature.

Audit Slams State’s Handling of COVID Relief Money

In 2020, the Governor announced the Business Interruption Grant (BIG) program. Operated by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), the program used federal tax revenue to give $585 million in grants to businesses to provide relief from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a recent audit of the program, the Illinois Office of the Auditor General found that the spending “failed to work as advertised” and that the program itself had insufficient oversight.

One of the key failures of the program was the DCEO’s inability to provide documentation of the Round 1 selection process for recipients of the grants.

This implication is worsened by another finding that multiple administrators did not comply with conflict-of-interest policies.

With the fairness of the awarded grants being called into question, additional findings—that $3.42 million was awarded to ineligible applicants and the program failed to verify with businesses their compliance to the program’s rules—show serious flaws with the execution of the program.

Alongside these findings, the Auditor General’s report makes 15 recommendations to the DCEO for future grant programs, including directing them to develop and maintain proper documentation on how the program selects grant administrators, develops administrative rules, checks for accuracy of applications, and complies with state statute.

Illinois Wings in the U.S. House Oppose Debt Ceiling Lifting Bill, Senate Follows Suit

Algonquin Township’s Democratic Party Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky voted, “No,” on the debt ceiling bill.

Her leftwing colleagues in Congress–Delia Ramirez, Chuy Garci–joined her.

Northwest McHenry County Republican conservative Darin LaHood opposed the legislation, as did right-of-center Republicans Mike Bost and Mary Miller.

Darren Bailey is making sounds that he wants to run against Bost.

Here is who voted how nationwide:

Source: California Target Book

Here is the Senate Roll Call:

Source: California Target Book

Pets in One’s Lap While Driving Still Legal

From the DeKalb Chronical by way of Capitol Fax:

“…consider House Bill 2910, which advanced out of committee (Transportation: Regulations, Roads & Bridges) on a 16-0 vote before failing 6-97-1 on March 23 in the full chamber. State Rep. Jawaharial Williams, D-Chicago, filed the bill in February hoping to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code to make it illegal to hold an animal while driving. The penalty would be a $50 fine.

“Two Democratic suburban lawmakers signed on as co-sponsors: state Reps. Joyce Mason, Gurnee, and Suzanne Ness, Crystal Lake, and although the measure failed, the logic is sound: there are several distracted driving laws on the books and none explicitly mentions pets. The debate on cellphone use behind the wheel is settled, statutorily, but no one has explained why skipping to the next song on your playlist is inherently more dangerous than the Pomeranian between you and the steering wheel…”

Synopsis As Introduced

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a person shall not hold an animal in the person’s lap while operating a motor vehicle. Provides that a person who holds an animal in the person’s lap while operating a motor vehicle is guilty of a petty offense and is subject to a fine of $50. Provides that a law enforcement officer shall not search or inspect a motor vehicle, its contents, the driver, or a passenger solely because the driver holds an animal on the lap or is suspected of doing so. Makes a corresponding change in the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963.

The Roll Call is below. Not that Ness voted against the bill she co-sponsored.

Eighteen Years for Sex Photo Enticement

From the U.S. Attornmey:

Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison for Enticing Girl to Produce Sexually Explicit Photos 

CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for enticing a 14-year-old girl to produce sexually explicit photos of herself and a younger sibling.

BRANDON T. HANAHAN, 26, of Bridgeview, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal child pornography charges.  U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang imposed the sentence Wednesday after a hearing in federal court in Chicago.

Hanahan admitted in a plea agreement that in 2016 he communicated on Instagram with the 14-year-old girl and enticed her to take sexually explicit photos of herself and send them to him. 

Over the next several months, Hanahan repeatedly instructed and enticed the girl, who lived in California, to send him explicit photographs. 

Hanahan also repeatedly asked the girl to send him sexually explicit photos of the girl’s younger sister, who was less than ten years old at the time. 

The 14-year-old girl complied with Hanahan’s requests and sent him numerous photographs of herself and the sibling via Instagram private messaging.

Law enforcement searched Hanahan’s residence and discovered more than 200 images of child pornography on his electronic devices.

The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Orange County, Calif., Child Exploitation Task Force and the Santa Ana, Calif., Police Department.  The government was represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Malgorzata Tracz Kozaka.

If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678.  The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Ness Statement on State Grants Making Longmeadow Parkway Toll-Free

From State Rep.Suzanne Ness:

Ness, Moeller Secure Remaining $12.5 million for Longmeadow Parkway Bridge

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Suzanne Ness, D-Crystal Lake, alongside State Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin successfully secured the remaining balance of $12.5 million to go towards the Longmeadow Parkway Bridge thereby eliminating the need for tolling.

Kane County officials were able to secure an additional $5 million toward the costs of the bridge.

Suzanne Ness

“I made a promise to the people of my district that this bridge would not become a toll bridge.

“We’ve needed another way of passage across the Fox River and it would be wrong to ask working families to pay more than they already do just to go to work, get groceries, or take kids to a sports field.” said Ness.

The Longmeadow Parkway Bridge Corridor spans 5.6 miles and covers Algonquin, Carpentersville, East Dundee and West Dundee.

The need for the bridge was first identified in the 1970s to address the needs of an ever-growing population; however, the engineering did not begin until the 1990s.

The concept of tolling was developed in 2007 as a means to close the large funding gap that prevented the start of construction.

“I joined Rep. Ness in fighting for funding in the state capital bill for fiscal year 2023 and again this year that will help Kane County retire the bonds and reduce or eliminate the planned toll.

“This is an important priority that will create jobs and reduce congestion for all Kane County
residents.” said Moeller.

Upon its completion, the Longmeadow Parkway Bridge is expected to relieve congested traffic corridors on Illinois Route 62 and 72, improve overall road safety, as well as increase accessibility to local businesses.

“As we were told last year, because the bridge is not anticipated to be completed until 2024, we were able to break up the amount needed to complete the bridge and have time to secure funding which fulfills a promise and eliminates the need for a toll. I want to thank in particular Chairwoman Peirog for her efforts in helping us get this done. She has been a great local partner.”

Pro-Life Fundraiser June 8th

From 1st Way Life Center:

IT’S NOT TOO LATE…

Tomorrow is the last day to purchase your Pathway To Life tickets online!

Click the button below to purchase your tickets for the early RSVP price of $30 per person or visit www.1stwaybanquet.com.

Purchase tickets here.

Tickets are also available at the door for $40 per person.  

This event is expected to fill to capacity very quickly, so please RSVP early. RSVPs will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Lake in the Hills Child-Friendly Drag Queen Bakery Closed

That’s what WGN-TV was reporting yesterday afternoon:

This despite public contributions to three GoFundMe appeals:

Major contributors follow:

  • Anonymous
    • $10,000 
    • 2 mos
  • Anonymous
    • $5,000 
    • 2 mos
  • Dennis Passis
    • $1,000 
    • 2 mos
  • Anonymous
    • $1,000 
    • 2 mos
  • Joanne Moffic-Silver
    • $1,000 
    • 2 mos
  • Fran Krasnow
    • $1,000 
    • 2 mos
  • David Goldenberg
    • $1,000 
    • 2 mos
  • Terry Teele
    • $900 
    • 2 mos
  • Anonymous
    • $500 
    • 1 mo
  • Paul Miller
    • $500 
    • 2 mos
  • Anonymous
    • $500 
    • 2 mos
  • RUTH GOODMAN BLUM
    • $500 
    • 2 mos
  • Anonymous
    • $500 
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  • Anonymous
    • $500 
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  • Steven Anixter
    • $300 
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  • Nate Sahn
    • $300 
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  • Steve Frost
    • $250 
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  • Debbie L Berman
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  • Pat Pappas
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  • Anonymous
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  • Ann Mayberry
    • $100 
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  • Adrienne Hiegel
    • $100 
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  • Anonymous
    • $100 
    • 2 mos
  • Nancy Fregeau
    • $100 
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  • Kathy K
    • $100 
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  • Tracy Treger
    • $100 
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  • Steven Fadem
    • $100 
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  • Anonymous
    • $100 
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  • Gloria Ludwig
    • $100 
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  • Anonymous
    • $100 
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  • Kim Gilmore
    • $100 
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    • $100 
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  • Nadine Robertson DiMare
    • $100 
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  • William and Debra Reich
    • $100 
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  • James Bennett
    • $100 
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  • Elizabeth Mantynband
    • $100 
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  • Janesa Dohme
    • $100 
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  • Benjamin Maddish
    • $87 
    • 2 mos
  • Nancy Janzen
    • $75 
    • 2 mos
  • Matt Feldman
    • $72 
    • 2 mos
  • Robert Morvay
    • $70 
    • 2 mos
  • Anonymous
    • $50 
    • 1 mo
  • Anonymous
    • $50 
    • 1 mo

Wirepoints Compares Crime This Past Week with a Year Ago – Yellow Vests Not Enough

From Wirepoints, reprinted with permission:

Wirepoints CrimeTracker Weekly Report

Pritzker-Johnson Peacekeeping Effort Fails Chicagoans

CHICAGO – Wirepoints Crime Tracker has been updated for the week of May 22-May 28. Over Memorial Day weekend alone, 12 people were killed and 48 wounded in Chicago. Overall, crime in the city is up 49% over the same 7 days in 2022 and up 34% over the same 28 days in 2022. Over the course of the week, Chicago also saw:

  • 17 Homicides, a 21% increase over the same 7 days in 2022; and an 11% increase over the same 28 days in 2022
  • 47 Criminal Sexual Assaults, a 15% increase over the same 7 days in 2022; and a 9% increase over the same 28 days in 2022
  • 225 Robberies, a 28% increase over the same 7 days in 2022; and a 16% increase over the same 7 days in 2022
  • 144 reports of Aggravated Battery, a 25% increase over the same 7 days in 2022; and a 4% increase over the same 28 days in 2022
  • 161 Burglaries, a 19% increase over the same 7 days in 2022; and a 2% increase over the same 28 days in 2022
  • 417 reports of Theft, a 9% increase over the same 7 days in 2022; and a 5% increase over the same 28 days in 2022 
  • 619 reports of Motor Vehicle Theft, a 167% increase over the same 7 days in 2022; and a 137% increase over the same 28 days in 2022 

Memorial Day weekend was an important test of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s controversial crime policies. The mayor even received support from like-minded Governor Pritzker, who decided to roll out the “yellow vest Peacekeepers” program to patrol the streets. The Peacekeepers would prove you didn’t need police to maintain security or law and order. You just needed cool heads and soft voices.

Despite the effort, it ended up being the deadliest Memorial Day weekend that Chicago has seen since 2016. 

Algonquin Announces Concert Series

From the Village of Algonquin:

Algonquin Presents Summer Concerts Lineup

Live Music Featured on Thursdays at Towne Park

June 1, 2023 – For Immediate Release

ALGONQUIN, IL – The Village of Algonquin is pleased to announce the lineup for the Algonquin Summer Concerts. The series will begin Thursday, June 22, and continue every Thursday night throughout the season at Towne Park, beginning at 7:00 p.m. These concerts are free to attend and open to all ages.

“We’re very excited to present our concert lineup for this summer,” said Debby Sosine, Village President. “These concerts will offer an opportunity for our residents and visitors to enjoy not only music in the park but also all of the improvements we have made to our Old Town Historic District.”

Below is the schedule for the 2023 summer concerts:

DATEBANDGENRE
June 22Starlight CityPop/Rock
June 29Pino Farina BandAlternative/Rock
July 6The Chicago ExperiencePop/Rock/Jazz
July 13Classical BlastPop/Rock
July 20*Johnny Russler & the Beach Bum BandTropical/Reggae/Surf
July 27Heartache Tonight: A Tribute to the EaglesRock
August 3Whiskey RomanceCountry
August 10LP VinylRock

* Please note: The concert on July 20 will take place at the Founders’ Days Festival held at Spella Park.

Towne Park is a public park in Old Town Algonquin located at 100 Jefferson Street. Parking is available at Towne Park, Historic Village Hall, and the municipal lot on the corner of Washington Street and Harrison Street. In the event of inclement weather, concerts may be cancelled. For the most up-to-date information and details on each concert, please call 847-999-0225 or visit www.algonquin.org/weather.

The 2023 Algonquin Summer Concerts are made possible by stage sponsor Expert Roofing-Joe Mac, along with a variety of other local sponsors.

Message of the Day – Outrageous Racism

Found on Steven Morre’s Unleash Prosperity Hotline #782 is this report of what Democrats in the New York legislature are doing to please its teachers union:

NY Democrats Cap Charter Schools Even As Minority Families Fill Them

From The New York Post:

Two-thirds of District 5’s elementary and middle schoolers, and 57% of students there overall, have spurned failing and dangerous Department of Education-run schools, making the district the only one of 32 in New York City where a majority of kids attend a publicly funded, privately run charter school.

“We’re so miserable,” Mariama, a junior at the DOE’s Frederick Douglass Academy in East Harlem told The Post. “Please help us!”

But the stark enrollment imbalance has now made District 5 the target of a poison-pill rule in the new state budget barring new charters in any such district.

Under Gov. Hochul’s April budget deal, no new charter schools can be placed in any district that already enrolls more than 55% of its students in the alternative learning institutions.

This is a stunningly idiotic policy!

In other words, if over half the parents think the local public schools are rotten, and they prefer charter schools – Hochul says many kids must be forced to attend the bad schools.

Why don’t they just shut down every failed school?

Remember: this is Harlem, with predominantly black families.

It’s hard for us to conceive of a more racist policy than this. 

Sheriff Reports on 201 Enforcements around Memorial Day

Fro the Sheirff’s Department:

McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Announces ‘Click It or Ticket’ Campaign Results

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office today announced it issued 201 citations during the recent Memorial Day “Click It or Ticket” enforcement period.

While Illinois’ 2022 seat belt compliance rate was 93%, unbelted occupants still account for more than half of those killed in traffic crashes.

The “Click It or Ticket” campaign aims to change the behavior of the millions of people who don’t buckle up. Thousands of lives could be saved each year if every vehicle occupant was properly restrained when traveling.

McHenry County Sneriff’s Department squad car.

During the enforcement period, McHenry County Sheriff’s Office wrote 58 citations for seat belt violations and took the following additional actions:

  • 3 DUI arrests
  • 1 Warrant arrest
  • 10 Electronic Communication citations
  • 14 Suspended Registration citations
  • 3 Suspended/Revoked license citations
  • 21 uninsured motorists
  • 55 speeding citations
  • 2 drug arrests
  • 51 other various traffic offense citations

The Illinois “Click It or Ticket” campaign is administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation
with federal highway safety funds.

Crimes Against Children Task Force Created

From the State’s Attorney:

McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office Creates Crimes Against Children Task Force

The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office is proud to announce the formation of the Crimes Against Children Task Force. 

This task force was created by the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office in conjunction with 20 local McHenry County police departments to ensure the most thorough and comprehensive investigations for reports of physical or sexual abuse to a child.

Child abuse can be one of the most difficult crimes to investigate and prosecute. 

This crime is often committed behind closed doors, without any independent witnesses. 

The victims are our most vulnerable and helpless members of society who often have a difficult time disclosing abuse. 

Due to this, these investigations not only require an extraordinary amount of time, but also investigators with a specialized knowledge and skillset.

With the creation of this task force, all reports of child abuse within the 20 participating jurisdictions will be turned over to this specialized unit comprised of investigators who are highly trained and experienced in child abuse investigations. 

The task force’s time will be solely dedicated to investigating these offenses and pursuing justice on behalf of these victims.

Amy Bucci has been appointed as the Director and Lead Investigator of the Crimes Against Children Task Force. 

Amy brings a wealth of law enforcement experience to her new position, having previously served as a police officer for the Algonquin Police Department over 26 years. 

Since being trained as a forensic interviewer in 2009, Amy has investigated countless cases involving child abuse. 

Aside from being a forensic interviewer, Amy is a state-certified instructor for sexual assault investigations and a former President of the McHenry County Juvenile Association. 

Amy is also a McHenry County Investigations Assistance Team (MIAT) investigator and a McHenry County Human Trafficking Task Force investigator.

Jason Greenwald has also been appointed as an Investigator with the Crimes Against Children Task Force.  Jason also brings a wealth of law enforcement experience to his new position, having previously served as a police officer for 24 years, most recently with the Johnsburg Police Department.

At the Johnsburg Police Department, Jason served as a detective who investigated all types of criminal offenses, including child abuse. 

Jason has been a Juvenile Officer since 2000 and a school resource officer since 2019.  Jason has received specialized training related to investigations involving children, including but not limited to, training in Child Abuse and Neglect, missing and endangered children, sexual assault investigator training, trauma informed responses to sexual assault and abuse, and cybercrimes.

The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office has assigned an Assistant State’s Attorney to work with the task force.  This prosecutor will work daily with the task force to assist in reviewing investigations, providing input regarding follow up or investigative leads and deciding if criminal charges are appropriate.

The McHenry County Child Advocacy Center has generously allowed the task force to work at their facility. 

In addition to providing advocacy services, the Child Advocacy Center currently assists all local law enforcement agencies and DCFS by conducting child-sensitive, forensic interviews of children. 

Housing the task force at the CAC will help create a true multi-disciplinary team approach to all task force investigations. 

The task force will work with the CAC to provide comprehensive support and services to children who have been victims of abuse.

The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office recognizes the magnitude of child abuse cases and is committed to bringing perpetrators to justice while providing support and care for the children affected.

The Crimes Against Children Task Force is a significant step towards achieving this goal. The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office would like to thank the following police agencies for their participating in such a groundbreaking task force for this community: Barrington Hills Police Department, Bull Valley Police Department, Cary Police Department, Crystal Lake Park District Police Department, Fox River Grove Police Department, Hebron Police Department, Holiday Hills Police Department, Island Lake Police Department, Johnsburg Police Department, Lakemoor Police Department, Lakewood Police Department, Marengo Police Department, McHenry County College Police Department, McHenry County Conservation District Police Department, Oakwood Hills Police Department, Prairie Grove Police Department, Richmond Police Department, Spring Grove Police Department, Union Police Department and the Wonder Lake Police Department.

The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office would also like to thank the McHenry County Child Advocacy Center for their continued support and cooperation in not only the creation of this task force but the overall pursuit of justice for victims of child abuse.