News Release

For Immediate Release

Date: September 17, 2009

The Village of Summit receives a grant from the Illinois Liquor Control Commission to reduce youth access to tobacco

The Village of Summit has been chosen by the Illinois Liquor Control Commission to receive a grant in the amount of $2,400.00 to establish a comprehensive educational and enforcement program addressing minimum-age tobacco laws.

“We are pleased to receive this grant to enhance our efforts to reduce youth access to tobacco products. The health of the children in our community is very important,” said Les Peterson, Chief of Police.

The Commission, the state’s lead agency in developing strategies to reduce the illegal sale of tobacco products to minors, annually awards $1 million in grants to communities that are willing to implement its Tobacco Enforcement Program. Participating communities are required to provide retail education to its retailers prior to implementing the enforcement component. All tobacco retailers will receive the Commission’s Tobacco Retailer Kit which includes a review of state minimum-age tobacco laws, required signage and training guides for their personnel. In addition, each tobacco retailer will receive three compliance checks. Tobacco retailers within the entire program currently average over 90 percent compliance and Illinois is ranked 7^th nationwide in Synar tobacco retailer compliance rates.

For additional information, call (312) 814-6884 or write to the Illinois Liquor Control Commission at 100 W. Randolph Street, Suite 7-801, Chicago, IL 60601, or visit us on our website at www.state.il.us/lcc

Press Release 06/10/2009

Summit Police Department Officer Dan Makowski was recently awarded a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of his exceptional DUI enforcement efforts from the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM).

Officer Makowski is pictured receiving his award from Mayor Joe Strzelczyk at the May 18th Summit Board Meeting.

Press Release 04/21/2009

The Summit Police Department has received a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportations Division of Traffic Safety to participate in the 2009 'You Drink, You Drive, You Lose' program. The grant is for $1855.60 to fund saturation patrols on four nights during the program dates. The patrols will target impaired drivers who are on the road during the Labor Day holiday week. Reducing the number of impaired drivers on the road will make for a safer holiday for everyone.

Press Release 04/09/2009

You can now pay your Parking Tickets online using your Credit Card. Click on the Pay Parking Tickets link above or click on the following link. www.violationspayment.com

Press Release 03/12/2009

On March 4^th 2009 The Summit Police and Argo Community High School held a railroad safety day. More than 900 students had the opportunity to talk to officers about the dangers of driving and walking near tracks and trains. The kids saw two safety videos, and received hand-outs from Operation Lifesaver’s railroad safety program. Getting information in the hands of our young drivers will help them make better safer choices. The program was made possible by a grant from the Illinois Commerce Commission. The I.C.C. is working with the Federal Railroad Administration to keep drivers, pedestrians, and railway workers safe. We are glad to have been able to bring this program to our community.

For more information on Operation Lifesaver please see there web site at WWW.OLI.Org

Press release 01/12/2009

The Village of Summit has been chosen to participate in the Public Education and Enforcement Research Study (PEERS) program. The Federal Railroad Administration and the Ill. Commerce Commission sponsored program to instill safe driving and walking habits when around tracks or trains.

The Village of Summit will receive an $11,500 grant from the Illinois Commerce Commission to institute a new traffic/railroad safety program in 2009. The Summit police program will be comprised of 3 parts, extra traffic patrols around railroad crossings and bridges, increased security on railroad property to deter trespassing, vandalism, and theft, and education for young drivers on the danger of close encounters with trains.

The education program will comprise portions of the "Operation Lifesaver" railroad safety program. Operation Lifesaver is a non-profit, international continuing public education program first established in 1972 to end collisions, deaths and injuries at places where roadways cross train tracks, and on railroad rights-of-way. For more information on Operation Lifesaver go to their web site at WWW.OLI.ORG

The enforcement portion of the program will begin in February and continue until December 2009.