Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- The Park Forest Police ask the public’s help to rid the Village of junk autos. Calling it “spring cleaning,” the PFPD is turning to residents for tips.
“This month, we are doing a little spring cleaning around the Village,” police said on Facebook. “Patrol officers, especially those on day shift, are focusing on ‘junk autos.'”
By ordinance, a ‘junk auto’ is defined as “any motor vehicle in which, for at least seven days, the engine, wheels, or other parts have been altered or are in disrepair so that the motor vehicle is incapable of being driven under its own motor power,” according to police.
“Why are we concerned with these eyesores? Experience has shown that they can be an attractive nuisance, meaning they can create opportunities for delinquent behavior by juveniles or quasi-criminal behavior by adults. Also, they negatively impact property values and can make a neighborhood appear unkempt and more welcoming to unwanted behaviors,” police said.
If you have such a vehicle in your neighborhood that you would like to see addressed, please contact your Neighborhood Problem Oriented Policing Officer. Don’t know who that is? Click here or on the link below, find your neighborhood, and get connected to an officer personally responsible for addressing problems like this where you live.
“What do we look for to determine a vehicle’s status as ‘junk’?” police ask. “Flat tires, long-expired vehicle registration, debris collecting on and under the vehicle, and obvious states of disrepair are all clues.”
Vehicles in this state cannot be open to public view, even on private property, police stress.
“Unless such vehicles are stored in closed garages, they violate Village ordinance. And as always, we focus on compliance, not citations,” police said. “Our goal is get the problem resolved. Lend us a hand, and let us know if you have these problem vehicles in your neighborhood. And if you have such a vehicle yourself, we will work with you to get the situation resolved.”
Find your Neighborhood Problem Oriented Policing Officer: http://www.vopf.com/police/pop
