Child Passenger Safety Community Project

The Child Passenger Safety Team assists the public in identifying unsafe or improperly installed child safety seats as well as offering resource materials with the most current information available on child passenger safety and occupant protection. In an effort to make contact with more children, the Gurnee Police Department is bringing the Child Passenger Safety Program into our neighborhoods. The Gurnee CPS program has always had excellent results when performing checkpoints at area businesses but we have determined that we can reach more children if we bring the program to them.  The CPS Team has been directed to attend block parties and neighborhood parks, where meetings are held, to reach as many parents and grandparents as possible.
 
 

BLOCK PARTIES

  • Upon request of a permit through the Building and Zoning Department, a copy of the permit will be forwarded to the Police Department and to the attention of the Child Passenger Safety Team Coordinator or designee. This permit should contain a contact name and number.
  • A member of the CPS team will contact the permit requester and ask if they would like to have a child seat technician present to inspect and instruct on child seat installations at their event.
  • The duration of the event will be based upon the number of children and the availability of technicians. There will be adequate time allotted to perform checks and instruct on the use of the seats.
  • If requested and all other prerequisites are met, a checkpoint will be conducted at the block party.
  • The signage announcing the checkpoint should be placed at the main thoroughfare(s) in the block party area at least one week prior to the checkpoint date.


NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH AREAS

  • The Neighborhood Watch Police Coordinator and/or Police Liaison Officer shall contact their respective Neighborhood Watch areas and ask if they would like to have a child seat technician present to inspect and instruct on child seat installations as one of the required Neighborhood Watch area meetings.
  • The duration of the event will be based upon the number of children and the availability of technicians. There will be adequate time allotted to perform checks and instruct on the use of the seats.
  • If requested and all other prerequisites are met, a checkpoint will be conducted at the Neighborhood Watch meeting.
  • The signage announcing the checkpoint should be placed at the main thoroughfare(s) in the Neighborhood Watch area at least one week prior to the checkpoint date.


NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS

  • Initially, four parks, one per district, will be selected to accommodate a checkpoint.
  • Parks will be chosen according to size, traffic and parking availability.
    • Viking Park
    • Hunt Club Park/Aquatic Center
    • Betty Russell Park
    • O’Plaine Park
  • One park checkpoint will be conducted per month and will be scheduled during a summer month (June, July, August, or September).
  • Duration of event shall be no shorter than 2 hours, weather permitting.
  • Dates of all park checkpoints will be posted/advertised prior to the event as follows:
    • Park District Offices
      The CPS Coordinator or designee shall contact the Park District Offices to have announcements posted in their publications.
    • Village Newsletter
      The CPS Coordinator or designee shall contact the editor of the Village Newsletter to have the announcement(s) placed for the next publication.
    • Newspaper
      The CPS Coordinator or designee shall send a press release to the following area newspapers:
      • News-Sun
      • Daily Herald
      • Pioneer Press
      • Gurnee Review
    • Fliers
      Shall be generated by the CPS Coordinator or designee to be:
      Handed out at:
      • Neighborhood Watch Meetings Citizen Police Academy or Alumni classes/meetings
      • Posted on public bulletin boards, where available
      • Placed at:
        • Police Facility
        • Village Hall      
        • Neighborhood Watch Committee
        • Sign Posting at Park/Community Entrance
      • The signage should be placed one week prior to the checkpoint date at the main entrance to the specific park or other designated area so that the passing public can note the date and times.
    • Public service announcement (PSA)
      The CPS Coordinator or designee will notify the local radio stations with a PSA request to broadcast the location of the Child Passenger Safety checkpoint one week prior to the safety checkpoint date.
    • Web site
      Entered onto the Gurnee Police Department web site and the Citizenobserver.com web site by the Administrative Commander.
  • Additional park checkpoints may be added during the year if requested.