Chief Eric Echevarria says the Peoria Police Department is working to finalize multiple new programs.
Echevarria says the creation of a new Social Services Unit is still dependent on finding the right candidate to direct it. He says multiple interviews have been conducted, through a partnership with Carle Health, and more are scheduled.
“This is going to be a key position to the success of the Social Services Unit,” Echevarria said. “I don't get to sit, I'm not sitting in that office, I'm not managing that. I have to have the right person in that position to really drive that.”
The unit plans to operate out of the former substation on Wisconsin Avenue. Once hired, the director will bring on additional social workers to assist with police response to people experiencing a mental health crisis.
The legislation creating the unit was originally passed by the state legislature in 2022, with the intention that it be operational by the end of the year. The program is funded by a $3 million budget provided by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.
On the digital side of the department’s work, Echevarria is preparing to unveil a new information dashboard at the city council meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 14. He’s withholding specific details on the addition to the department’s website until the meeting. But he hopes the new tool increases transparency and trust between the department and the community.
“Because I think the more that, the more you're able to impact the community itself as a community member and say: ‘We're not going to tolerate this. We know where things are happening,’ and then they can share information with us as well,” Echevarria said.
Though it’s unclear what exactly will be included in the dashboard, previous discussions about the feature have included ShotSpotter and crime analytics data as possible examples.
Echevarria also wants to take the opportunity to remind people not to leave their cars running unattended as temperatures drop. Leaving the car running to let the interior warm up provides a potential opportunity for theft.
He said the department has not seen a significant increase in instances of vehicle theft yet this fall.
“And just because you got a key fob doesn't mean the car won't move, right?” Echevarria said. “You may have the key fob in your pocket and be inside the house, the car may still move for a little bit of a distance.”
Echevarria said the recently formed Auto Crime Task Force will be keeping an eye out for an increase in these incidents and is already working on reducing the theft of catalytic converters.
