Village Schedules Public Safety Town Hall for Oct. 15

A town hall public safety meeting will be held at Hannum Elementary School on Monday, Oct. 15.

Oak Lawn police will take questions from the public as well as sign residents up for the village’s Everbridge Emergency Alert system.

Police will also discuss recent criminal activity, including an armed robbery that occurred in the neighborhood last month. A resident was working in his garage when two men robbed him at gunpoint.

Mayor Dave Heilmann said the robbery is believed to have been a case of mistaken identity.

“Whether residents are comfortable or dissatisfied, it’s important that we get out there and tell people here’s what happened and here’s what we did,” the mayor said.

Heilmann also said there is a good chance that security cameras may come before the village board sometime in the future.

“Regarding financing the cameras and safety, it’s good to get feedback where people stand when we give them options,” he said. “When we tell residents it may cost another $18 a year in property taxes, usually they say yes.”

Despite a heated village board meeting on Tuesday night that lasted four hours, Heilmann said that the board stood together on public safety.

“A lot has chanced in technology to the extent we use technology to enhance safety,” the mayor added.

Another public safety town hall is planned for next month at a date and venue to be determined, possibly at Covington Elementary School.

Computers will also be available where residents can sign up to receive emergency alerts on their LAN lines or by text on their mobile phones.

All Oak Lawn residents are invited to the town hall public safety meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, October 15. The meeting will be held at