Police Department

Chief Shatonya Johnson

Deputy Chief Dave Jacobson

Deputy Chief Roderick Robinson

Commander Paul Kane

Commander Kellie Murphy

Commander Schonella Stewart

The Oak Park Police Department embraces the 10 Shared Principles adopted in 2018 by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois NAACP State Conference in an unprecedented effort to bridge the gap of mistrust between police and communities of color. By adopting the shared principles, the Oak Park Police Department has pledged to take the following approach to community policing:

• Value the life of every person, the preservation of life being the highest value.
• Recognize that all persons should be treated with dignity and respect.
• Reject discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, color, nationality, immigrant status, sexual orientation, gender, disability or familial status.
• Endorse the six pillars of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing including the first pillar of building trust and legitimacy.
• Endorse the four pillars of procedural justice, which are fairness, voice, transparency and impartiality.
• Endorse the values inherent in community policing, which includes positive engagement between community and police.
• Develop relationships at the leadership and street levels to eliminate racial tension.
• Accept mutual responsibility to encourage all citizens to gain a better understanding of the law to assist in interactions with police.
• Increase diversity in police departments and in the law enforcement profession
• Commit to de-escalation training to ensure the safety of community members and police officers.

Since 1952, the Village of Oak Park has operated under the Village Manager form of government as defined in the Illinois Constitution. All employees perform their duties under the direction of the Village Manager or their designee. The Police Chief oversees the members of the Police Department and issues General Orders governing their conduct, subject to the control and supervision of the Village Manager.

The Chief of the Oak Park Police Department currently is updating all General Orders, a process that is on track to be completed in the first quarter of 2021. The more than 200 General Orders under review range from mundane topics such as using an iPass tollway transponder to those that govern the most serious matters a police officer may face. Links to the updated orders will be posted on this webpage as soon as they are available.

The General Orders posted via links at the bottom of this section are among those in effect today and currently under review. Portions of some documents are redacted in accordance with the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/1 et seq.).

In regards to use of force, the following eight points address the most frequently asked questions about Oak Park Police General Orders:

1. Oak Park officers are required to de-escalate situations, where possible, through communication, maintaining distance, slowing things down and otherwise eliminating the need to use force. (General Order 4.38)
2. Oak Park prohibits officers from using maneuvers that cut off oxygen or blood flow, including chokeholds or carotid restraints. In fact, Oak Park does not even train officers on this type of maneuver. (720 ILCS5/7 - 5.5)
3. Oak Park officers are required to report any violation of policy by another officer immediately to a supervisor. (Rule 43)
4. Oak Park officers are restricted from shooting at moving vehicles. (General Order 4.08)
5. Oak Park limits the types of force and/or weapons that can be used to respond to specific types of resistance and specific characteristics such as age, size, or disability. (General Order 4.38)
6. Oak Park officers are required to exhaust all other reasonable means, when feasible, before resorting to deadly force. (General Order 4.08)
7. Oak Park officers are required to give a verbal warning, when possible, before using serious force such as shooting, tasing or pepper spraying someone. (General Order 4.38)
8. Oak Park officers are required to report each time they use force or threaten to use force (e.g., pointing a gun at a person). (General Order 4.38)

Review the current Administration General Orders

Review the current Operations General Orders

State law allows citizens to be licensed to carry concealed firearms on their person in public. However, property owners may prohibit licensees from entering into or onto their property while carrying concealed firearms. In order to ensure uniformity, property owners (excluding residences) who wish to prohibit concealed firearms on their property must display a sign approved by the Illinois State Police. More information also is available from the Oak Park Police.

• Conceal Carry Fact Sheet(PDF, 197KB)

The Oak Park Police Department works with the Parking and Mobility Services Division to enforce all parking-related rules and regulations within the Village. Most parking enforcement activities are conducted by dedicated Parking Enforcement Officers who patrol the Village's streets, parking lots and garages. Parking fines are collected by the Adjudication Department, which is separate from the Police Department. The Adjudication Department also manages the administrative hearings process for parking ticket appeals and other municipal ordinance violations. Parking tickets may be appealed and paid online, via U.S. Mail or in person at Village Hall, 123 Madison St. Get more information on ticket appeals and the hearings process.

Crime maps are posted regularly to keep residents informed of happenings in their neighborhood. Citizens may obtain copies of police reports on events in which they are involved, or other reports available through the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. Requests may be made in person from 8:30 a.m. - 4:45 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the Police Department in the lower level of Village Hall, 123 Madison St. The fee is $5 for accident reports and 10 cents per page for all other reports. The fee may be paid by cash, check, money order or credit card.

The Police Department disposes of surplus property via propertyroom.com, an online auction website used by law enforcement agencies across the country to list goods available for sale to the public. With burglaries and thefts representing the vast majority of crime in Oak Park, the items listed for sale by the Police Department typically are recovered when crimes are solved. In addition to recovered items such as bicycles, Oak Park Police also use the website to dispose of items seized as part of criminal investigations. Listing the items on the website has eliminated the need to host local auctions and dramatically increased the market of potential buyers.

Review the Rules and Regulations(PDF, 574KB) governing the conduct and the responsibilities of the Oak Park Police Department and its employees.