Joseph A. Woods, Mayor | Village of Park Forest
Joseph A. Woods, Mayor | Village of Park Forest
The Park Forest Police Department increased patrols during Halloween weekend as part of a statewide traffic safety campaign led by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). The initiative aimed to reduce traffic violations and crashes in the area.
Deputy Police Chief Kristopher Vallow reported that officers worked a total of 36 hours during this enforcement period, conducting 60 traffic stops. Officers issued various citations and made several arrests throughout the campaign.
Police cited drivers for multiple offenses: 15 seat belt violations, one child restraint violation, 15 speeding infractions, and 13 distracted driving incidents related to cellphone use. An additional 35 citations were given for other offenses such as lack of insurance, disobeying traffic signals, improper lane usage, equipment violations, and unlawful transportation of alcohol or cannabis.
Three individuals were arrested for driving with a suspended or revoked license. Two more arrests occurred—one due to an outstanding warrant and another for unlawful possession of more than 40 grams of cannabis.
“We used $29,470 of awarded funds, or 98 percent of what we were granted, resulting in 423 additional officer hours,” Vallow said. “This campaign allowed us to increase our presence on the roads and help maintain traffic safety during a busy holiday weekend.”
Vallow also noted that the department has recently received $33,600 from IDOT for the fiscal year 2025–2026. This grant is expected to fund about 448 extra officer hours for upcoming campaigns focused on occupant protection and safe driving.
“The next campaign will run from Nov. 21 through Dec. 2 and will focus on occupant protection over the Thanksgiving holiday,” Vallow said. “We’ll continue to use these resources to encourage safe driving behaviors and reduce traffic-related incidents in the community.”
This Halloween enforcement marked the first IDOT-funded effort by Park Forest Police for the current fiscal year and is part of ongoing measures to improve road safety within the Village.
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